A TRUE story of romance and wartime tragedy in the early 20th century, set partly in Malvern, has been published by a Canadian writer.

Valerie Nielsen, who lives near Hamilton, Ontario, was fascinated when she found a manuscript written by her grandmother, Grace Wilkinson, about how she had met her husband, their marriage and his death in World War One.

And she has now edited and brought in into print as Over The Top - A Love Story.

Mrs Neilsen said: "She was encouraged by my father to write down her memories, and she wrote it in the form of a novel, changing the names.

"It was fascinating to read it and find out about my grandfather and grandmother, how they met, and their life together."

The young couple met at a British Army dance - her grandfather Ted was a soldier - and began courting.

Ted left the army and the couple moved to Malvern, where Ted became a teacher at the Priory School - in what is now the Malvern Hills District Council building in Avenue Road - and his wife became the school cook.

The couple lived in Court Road and later Upper Chase Road, and they attended Christ Church in Avenue Road, but the First World War intervened.

Ted rejoined the army and was killed at the Battle of the Somme, and his name appears on Christ Church's war memorial.

Now, Mrs Neilsen, accompanied by her husband Robert, are visiting Malvern and have brought over some copies of the book, which are now available locally.

Mrs Neilsen has already done a book singing at the Malvern Book Co-operative, St Ann's Road, and spoken at Christ Church.

She said: "Everybody here has been very welcoming. This isn't the first time we've visited Malvern; we were here in 2012, to de some research, but it's great to be back."

Copies of the book are on sale in the Book Co-op, Christ Church, the Lyttelton Well in Church Street, and the Gallery, Grange Road.

To find out more, visit potlatchpublications.wordpress.com.