FOR her hundreds of young fans who queued for hours to catch a glimpse of Jacqueline Wilson and snap up signed copies of her new book, the wait was worthwhile.

Older shoppers looked on curiously yesterday as the best-selling children's author stirred up as much excite-ment at Bournemouth's Castlepoint as a chart-topping pop star like Britney Spears or football idol such as David Beckham.

Waterstone's manager David Lund was stunned by the response to the book-signing with Jacqueline Wilson's fans turning up from noon to await the author's arrival some four hours later.

Security officers kept watch as the queue spilled out of the first-floor bookshop, snaking its way around the centre's under-ground car-park.

"We've never seen anything like it," admitted Mr Lund. "We knew Jacqueline Wilson was popular but never envisaged so many people turning up.

"We've 900 copies of Best Friends in store and are hoping there will be enough to satisfy demand."

The author's publicist Naomi Cooper said: "Jacqueline is very popular with young girls and always attracts huge crowds to her book signings. But this is the biggest turnout we've ever seen."