ONE of Herefordshire's most famous sons looks set to be a Christmas best-seller - 37 years after his death.
Ledbury-born John Masefield wrote the classic children's novel The Box of Delights in 1935 as a sequel to The Midnight Folk.
The BBC made a memorable television production just before Christmas 1984, and now it is out on DVD, tipped to be cult viewing for twentysomethings and a delight for other generations.
Reviewers have raved about the Masefield adaptation. One has described it as "the most magical television production ever made" and another said of the DVD: "There are some TV shows that are just synonymous with the festive period and this imaginative series is right up there with The Snowman and The Grinch."
The tale follows the adventures of Kay Harker, a young boy who finds himself lured into a world of fantasy and danger after a chance encounter with an old Punch and Judy man.
As he travels home on the train for the Christmas holidays Kay has the strangest feeling something very mysterious is about to happen; there is snow on the wind and wild dogs are roaming the countryside.
He has a chance meeting with the old man, guardian of the elixir of life and a shabby box of powers, and is pulled into an array of fantastic worlds where he encounters ancient heroes, wolves, Romans, rats, flashing rings and flying ponies.
The production stars Devin Stanfield and Patrick Troughton and the DVD includes a profile of John Masefield, who was Poet Laureate for 37 years. (RRP £14.99)
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