They say everyone’s got a book in them.

And that’s certainly true of Potters Bar schoolboy Ashley Price – who’s already seen 10 of his stories published, and reckons he’s got another 20 more.

The nine-year-old Wroxham School pupil has become one of the youngest authors in the country, after his collection of stories, The Amazing Adventures of Mr Wellington Boot, won favourable reviews with both his friends and teachers.

The year five student wrote and illustrated all the stories himself, and staff at Wroxham were so impressed by Ashley’s talent that the school decided to get a run of the Mr Wellington Boot stories printed professionally, for all the students to enjoy.

On his early writing success, Ashley said: “It’s very good. I just wanted to do it. I love writing. I was bored one day and it was something to do.”

The stories follow the adventures of the eponymous rubber hero, as he travels through worlds and battles evildoers.

“It’s about Mr Wellington Boot going on different adventures,” Ashley explained.

“Every five books he gets into battles with an evil person. It’s all a bit weird.”

Ashley’s mum Hayley Smart said: “It’s fantastic. Some of it is quite surreal.

“But everything he’s done has come from himself. He’s a good drawer too and he did all the pictures himself.

“It’s all off his own back. I’m so proud of him.”

Ashley said it would be “very nice” to become a professional author when he was older – although any future literary success is unlikely to feature his current protagonist.

Asked what his plans for Mr Wellington Boot were, Ashley replied: “I’m going to get up to book 30 – when he dies.”