Children at a North Wales primary school are being rewarded with free books from a vending machine – thanks to a helping hand from a trailer firm.

Ifor Williams Trailers has donated money to Ysgol Caer Drewyn in Corwen to keep its innovative vending machine stocked with new titles, helping pupils discover the joy of reading.

Instead of cash, the youngsters use special tokens to make their choices, with books awarded for birthdays and achievements in class.

The scheme is proving a huge hit with pupils eagerly taking home books by their favourite authors.

The school is within short walking distance of Ifor Williams Trailers’ Corwen factory where a number of the children’s relatives work while some of the employees are former pupils.

Headteacher Jayne Davies thanked Ifor Williams Trailers for their support and said: “I found a company that repurposes traditional vending machines and we bought one and the children use it in the same way as you would if you were getting some chocolate or whatever.

“The children select a book every time it is their birthday and get really get excited about coming to the vending machine to choose their book.

“I think it is just the excitement of pressing the button and being able to take a book.

“We also do it for the Summer Reading Challenge which they do with the local library service.

“So if they bring their certificate and their medal, they get to choose another book as a reward for participating in the challenge.

“And also if a teacher feels a child has made really good progress or if they have been reading with expression, or they have done something well with their work, they might also be sent to choose a book from the vending machine.

“We wrote to several companies in the local area and Ifor Williams were one of the first to come forward and say they would support us.

“It is a company that has a big impact in the town, and it may be that in the future some of our children will be part of that organisation as well.

“The children want to read, they are reading for pleasure, and that is a life-long skill.”

Mrs Davies, who has worked at the 100-pupil school for 22 years, said she and a group of children visit Courtyard Books in Llangollen to select the latest books for the vending machine.

She said: “It is great that we have been given money from a local business and we are spending it locally to support another local business.

“On our last visit to the bookshop the children had already told me the types of books and authors they would like so we had a whale of time at the shop.

“We also got a discount from the bookshop owner Sian Glynne-Jones, which was lovely.

“Football books are always popular, and we have got other books too which the children wanted such as the Dog Man series and Dork Diaries.

“We also have the traditional ones as well, such as Diary of a Wimpy Kid and books by Julia Donaldson and Michael Morpurgo, some of the old favourites that remain popular.”

Frankie Pierce from Ifor Williams Trailers popped into the school to see the vending machine in action.

He said: “The vending machine is fantastic, and it’s great the children get to keep the books.

“Books are still important, I know I still like to read, and it’s nice to hear how excited the children get when they use the vending machine

“The school is within walking distance of our site and in a way this is an investment in the company’s future because some of the children here might well come to work for Ifor Williams Trailers.

“As a local company we have an ethos of supporting local organisations as much as we can and making a difference to the communities we operate in.”

The school’s head girl Eleanor and head boy Oliver were among the pupils who went with Mrs Davies to Courtyard Bookshop in Llangollen to choose the new books.

Eleanor, 10, said: “I think the vending machine is great and a nice way to reward children for good behaviour and good work, or just a nice present on their birthday.

“I read a lot, and really like it, I like reading about crime, mysteries and vampires.”

Oliver, 11, said: “The vending machine is really good, and it’s nice to be able to choose your favourite book.

“My favourite is The Diary of a Wimpy Kid and anything funny.”