Award-winning Congleton-based children's author Nick Jones has secured his target of £3,500 to finance his second children's picture book, One Night in Beartown, with two days to spare.

The Kickstarter campaign ended on £4,040, exceeding the author's expectations by over £500. And the money is still rolling in.

"Although the campaign ended on Sunday, I've had companies and individuals messaging and emailing me asking if it's too late to pledge," Nick commented.

"So, while the Kickstarter itself has ended, the interest hasn't stopped. And as Si Clark starts to create the illustrations, I hope to increase the buzz for One Night in Beartown, in Congleton and beyond."

Si Clark is a London-based illustrator and animator, and a long-standing friend of Nick's. His distinctive style helped the duo win Best Picture Book for their first collaboration, Sarah's Shadow, in the Readers Favorite Awards. The next step is to start bringing the storyboard to life.

Nick added: "As Si is based in London, I am going to take photos of the parts of Congleton that will appear in the story, so that readers young and old can recognise the landmarks.

"Of course, Si will also be ensuring that the Bearmania statues are faithfully reproduced in the book."

The £4,040 was raised through pledges by businesses like Jantex and the Congleton Chronicle, who have paid to have their Bearmania statues appear prominently in the book.

Many small businesses have also pledged to have their names included in the back of the book along with some free signed copies and a listing on the Congleton Connect business directory.

The book will be published in September to October. The story follows a little girl's adventure around Congleton when the Bearmania statues come alive for one magical and unforgettable night.