CHESHIRE East has come out top of its class for its library services.

A recent survey of the country’s 55 unitary authorities found that the borough’s bookworms borrowed more books per head of population than any other.

Nearly 5,300 books per 1,000 members were borrowed from the borough’s 16 libraries, placing Cheshire East as the leading unitary authority for library services.

With 126,063 books, Cheshire East libraries hold the biggest collection of children’s fiction compared to other unitary authorities and the council bought 22,546 children’s books in 2015/16, showing the authority’s commitment to investing in children’s learning, literacy and literature.

Councillor Paul Bates said: “The council is facing difficult times financially, with the loss of government grants but we are determined to maintain those services that our residents value most and they are sending us the message that our libraries are very important to them.”