To celebrate the end of their Sats schoolchildren climbed the 334 steps of Big Ben and sat down with a good book.

The youngsters from Christchurch Church of England Primary School in Wandsworth took part in Somewhere Special to Read, which boosts reading motivation of primary school children struggling with reading confidence and ability.

By going to special places, such as Big Ben, and reading there, the children are more motivated to read their favourite books.

The trip on May 18, was organised in co-ordination with Beanstalk, a national children's literacy charity.

Kate Loynes, a Beanstalk representative, said: "By reading somewhere as awe-inspiring as Big Ben it really lets their imaginations run wild. Hopefully it will lead to many more children finding their own special place to read and reading for fun outside of school."