A book shelter has been installed in Ashford town in a bid to encourage people to read.

The wooden box was designed and created by Ashford Borough Council’s Town Centre Action Team (T-CAT) and can be found in Park Street by the bus stops.

The idea behind the box , which resembles a bird box, is that people will pick up a book, read it, and replace it with one they have already read in order to keep the mini library fully stocked.

The council say they hope it will “create a sense of community and sharing in Ashford, and encourage more people to read in their spare time”.

They add: “Anyone is welcome to borrow a book from the shelter; youngsters on their way to school, commuters heading to the office or residents popping into town for some shopping.”

The book shelter is mounted to a tree stump approximately half way along Park Street and is already packed with a variety of reading material including novels, short stories, cookbooks and autobiographies, according to the council.

"The book stop has been designed to replicate a shed and blends beautifully with the tree stump."

The shelter is made from wood and includes a clear Perspex door, a mushroom doorknob and a carpeted interior.

The council say it has been designed to “replicate a shed and blends beautifully with the tree stump”.

T-CAT supervisor Tom Judd said: “Book swap schemes are popular in countries all over the world. We wanted to bring this great idea into Ashford to not only support education and literacy, but to also make books accessible to everyone.

“We hope more people will pick up books and start reading in their spare time. If it proves successful, we aim to create more book shelters around the town and the surrounding areas of the borough.”

T-CAT is fully funded by Ashford Borough Council and deals with a variety of jobs including refurbishing street furniture, tidying council car parks and keeping our walkways weeded and flowerbeds tidy.