Huddersfield artist Andrew Jenkin launches book about The Lambton Worm legend

May 16 2009 Huddersfield Daily Examiner

A HUDDERSFIELD artist has resurrected an age-old folk tale for a new book.

Andrew Jenkin has written and illustrated The Curse Of The Lambton Worm, a book about the North East folk tale of the same name.

Andrew, 33, spent some of his childhood in County Durham, although he has lived in Huddersfield most of his life.

The medieval tale is set in Durham and tells of John Lambton who found a small worm which later grew to a huge size and terrorised his village.

John kills the worm but makes a mistake, cursing nine generations of his family with non-peaceful deaths.

Andrew’s book explores the tale’s roots, the historical background and the Lambton family tree.

He used research skills gained when he studied history and ancient history at Keele University, before embarking on his career as a watercolour painter and teacher.

He said: “This idea began over 25 years ago, when I used to go to the area to visit my grandparents.