Nursery pupils and Lower Junior Girls joined in with stories and songs to mark this double celebration. Despite the terrible tusks and claws the Gruffalo proved surprisingly friendly and made time for hugs and high fives.

Created by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, the most successful author/illustrator partnership in picture book publishing, The Gruffalo is a modern classic, and both mouse and monster have become stars of stage and screen as well as story-time favourites.