ARE you sitting comfortably? Then let's begin.

Parents in Manchester are being urged to read more to their sons and daughters in a bid to boost literacy levels.

A storytelling chair was set up in St Peter's Square, where children's author Trish Cooke helped show mums and dads the benefits of bedtime reading.

She also helped launched Telling Tales - a competition to find the nation's best storyteller.

It follows research showing only half of Manchester's mums and dads read to their children.

Honor Wilson-Fletcher, director of the National Year of Reading, said: "We need to get all parents confident as storytellers, reading aloud with their kids as a matter of habit."

Mums and dads read stories to camera as part of the Telling Tales competition. Regional winners will be selected and one crowned national champion.

Coun Mike Amesbury said: "The benefits for children who are read stories by parents or other family members on a regular basis are well documented. Telling Tales will hopefully show how special that shared time can be."