CHILDREN'S author-illustrator, Elizabeth Morley, has used the smuggling history of the Isle of Wight as inspiration for her fourth book.

Suitable for readers aged seven to eleven, The Smugglers of Hog's Head Bay is published by Feed A Read and is available for £8.49 from Amazon, Waterstones and other online retailers.

Elizabeth researched and wrote much of her book while based in Brighstone, where she lives when on the Island. The village appears in the story under the name of Bristlestone.

As with her previous books, the author's latest adventure is set in a parallel world populated by hedgehogs, yet inspired by the world around us, and packed with her own charming colour illustrations.

Once again she has dug deep with her research - weaving a nail-biting tale of intrigue and danger which draws on real historical events of the 1770s, and basing many of her illustrations on original 18th century prints and paintings of the Island.

The story takes the reader from Brambling Harbour (Brading Harbour) and on to Hog's Head Bay (Freshwater Bay).

Here the action focuses on the Hog's Head Inn, based on a real-life smugglers' pub, the Mermaid, which once stood on the site of the Albion Hotel.

The climax of the story involves a thrilling sea-chase off the Needles.

In addition to online retailers, The Smugglers of Hog's Head Bay can be purchased by emailing the author at bethmorley@talktalk.net.

Elizabeth has previously published three children's books in the same series.