IT might not be possible to have a Tyrannosaurus Rex as a pet or keep a Stegosaurus as a playmate, but Brampton Village Primary School pupil James Rix has done the next best thing.

The eight-year-old has created his own fictional dinosaur characters - Doctor Bones is a Gigantosaurus disguised as a doctor and Matilda Megabreath, an evil Compsognathus - and the pair have been selected by children’s author Steve Cole to feature in an upcoming edition of the Astrosaurs children’s book series.

On Thursday Mr Cole visited James and his classmates to present him with his winning certificate.

James’ mum Victoria said: “When James was six years old he was introduced to the Astrosaurs books by Steve Cole after getting The Day of the Dinodroids as a present from his grandma.

“The books captured his imagination and really encouraged him to read – bringing his reading on leaps and bounds. He has now read all the books.

“James was thrilled to bits when he received the letter saying that he had won. He is so excited and can’t believe that he is going to meet Steve Cole and that he is really going to come into his school.”