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A new series of books featuring the flying car Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is being written by novelist and screen writer Frank Cottrell Boyce.

The books will tell the story of a family who get more than they bargained for after they soup up their VW camper van with an old racing car engine.

Original creator Ian Fleming's family asked the writer to pen a sequel.

The first of three books by Cottrell Boyce, who is from Rainhill, near St Helens, will be published in November.

Cottrell Boyce, whose debut novel - Millions - won the Carnegie Medal for children's literature, said: "I have no idea what made the Flemings think of asking me to write the sequel.

"I haven't asked them in case it's all a case of mistaken identity.

"I went back to the book for the first time since I was a boy and was delighted to discover that, first of all, it's really good and, secondly, it's crying out for a sequel."

Cottrell Boyce also works as a screenwriter. His credits include Welcome to Sarajevo, Hilary and Jackie and 24 Hour Party People.

Bond author Fleming created the story of a magical car, which has since become a film and a musical, as a bedtime story for his son Caspar.

His niece Lucy said Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is "thrilled to have Frank Cottrell Boyce, with his humour, his genius and his spanner, sparking her plugs, polishing her chrome and buffing up her bumpers".

"Her graceful wings are poised to take off on a new flight, with Frank's skilful but possibly oily hands on the steering wheel," she said.