FIRST Minister Nicola Sturgeon was kept busy when she came home for the weekend - after signing dozens of books for an Irvine primary school.

Annick Primary School pupils were delighted to receive signed copies of the First Minister’s Reading Challenge on their return to school this week.

And it was all thanks to the SNP leader’s niece who is a P6 pupil at Annick.

But she didn’t need to persuade her auntie who happily obliged in signing copies not just for her class but all pupils taking part in the challenge between P4-7.

The Annick pupils even had a special card prepared for the First Minister to say thank you.

The First Minister tweeted at the weekend: “That’s all the @FMReadingChallenge passports signed. 

“Thanks for the card @AnnickPS - and happy reading #lovetoread” 

Irvine Times:

The main focus of the Scottish Government-backed challenge is to encourage reading for pleasure and support schools, libraries and communities to build reading cultures.

Primary six teacher, Ainsley Fulton, said her pupils were “delighted” with the signed copies.

She said: “The First Minister’s niece is in my class and she had offered to get them all signed.

“We’ve not long started the challenge and we’ll be doing lots between now and May.

“The First Minister signed them for all the classes from P4 to P7 which was lovely.

“The kids are absolutely delighted, they got them out today (Tuesday) and they were over the moon.

“It’s something they can keep forever.”