STUDENTS at Thomas Hardye School got an insight into horror writing with a visit from an award-winning author.

Marcus Sedgwick, whose dark stories of ghosts and horrors are aimed at a young adult audience, dropped into the Dorchester school to talk to students and offer tips.

The writer’s spine-chilling novels – which include The Foreshadowing, The Kiss of Death, Revolve and his latest work Midwinterblood – have seen him shortlisted for or win more than 30 awards including the Carnegie Medal and the Guardian Children’s Fiction prize.

Mr Segdwick, who lives in Cambridge but spends much of his time in Switzerland, is also a writer in residence at Bath Spa University. He spoke to Year Nine in the school theatre before heading to the library to meet English students from Years 12 and 13.

Mr Sedwick spent time with them focussing on Gothic horror and writing tips for the genre.

After spending time with the students, Mr Sedgwick was impressed by the knowledge he had seen displayed.

He said: “It was really inspiring to be able to talk to such a large audience of young people and get such a positive and active response from them.

“And with the sixth form students we were able to delve into some detail into what makes for good horror.

“The Thomas Hardye students showed they had a very good grasp of the elements of this kind of writing.”

Head of English at The Thomas Hardye School, Hilary Over, said: “It was a great opportunity for the students to meet an author whose novels they have read. “Not only did he inspire us to read his new novel, but gave us an insight into the inspiration and craft of writing – showing us that we too could be writers.

“The library at break was full of Year Nine students keen to borrow his books.”