THERE was an expectant crowd outside the new Oxfam book shop in Skipton High Street for the cutting of the ribbon by science-fiction author Adrian Tchaikovsky.

Mr Tchaikovsky, writer of the award winning Children of Time series, spoke of the importance of charities like Oxfam and how it was a pleasure and honour to open the shop, which has moved from its old premises at the top of the High Street to the former Yorkshire Bank building.

He said: "One of the benefits of being a science-fiction author is you get at least a sense of leverage against an often very uncertain and dangerous world. You get to write cautionary tales and road maps to a better future. Because the world is increasingly and rapidly becoming more uncertain and more dangerous for a great many people, we need organisations like Oxfam and all the good work that they do."

Shop manager, Julian Fattorini, said it was an 'incredibly busy day' with high sales continuing into this week, despite the stormy weather.