A medical writer who spent 30 years producing articles about drugs and treatments has reinvented himself - writing a children's book about a friendly scarecrow.

It all started when Neil Dickinson, 62, of Hill Place, Farnham Common had to write an information piece about a new drug being used to treat very young children suffering from a rare disease.

The treatment involved painful injections that needed to be given every day and as a father to two young children himself Neil found himself personally affected.

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He said: "The idea came to me that I would write a book that parents with a child who had that disease could read to them."

He came up with a frog called Hoppy who needed a special medicine that only the bravest frogs could have.

That was three years ago. Neil is now semi-retired and a member of the Slough Writers, a group of enthusiasts who meet weekly - online at the moment of course - to encourage each other's literary attempts.

He has written and self-published a new book called Scotch the Scare-Go, about a friendly scarecrow who helps children overcome their fears and anxieties.

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Neil said: "He has been given special powers by the head scarecrow who turns him into a 'scare-go'.

"When he hears a child say 'I'm scared' he turns up. He is not a superhero or anything like that, he helps the children solve the problem themselves."

The book is illustrated by Neil's friend Dave Clark.

He said: "I wanted them to be old-fashioned illustrations.

"Illustrations in children's books are often loose and rough now. I wanted something more comforting."

He has had 500 copies printed and each book ordered comes with a small piece of tartan - a gift from Scotch the Scare-go.

Neil lives with his wife Helen - a swimming instructor - and children Maisie, 13 and Adam, 9.

He already written a sequel called Hopscotch, which is the name of Scotch's rabbit sidekick.

You can buy Scotch the Scare-Go online at www.scotchbooks.com