HOLLYWOOD actor Sean Bean has lent his voice and support to a project by Kingsclere charity Living Paintings.

The Lord of the Rings actor recorded the story of Beowulf for Living Paintings – a story which is included in the charity’s latest educational book currently in production, The Anglo Saxons.

The Touch to See book contains special versions of pictures with raised surfaces that come to life when fingers feel them.

The audio descriptions direct the fingers, telling the stories of the pictures and describing their features, combining the senses of touch and hearing.

The book, created for blind and visually impaired children aged between seven and 11, is designed to be educational and fun, and Sharpe star Sean is one of several celebrities who have so far read stories aloud for the charity.

He said: “I really enjoyed working with Living Paintings and, as such a small charity providing a completely unique service, I hope that my support can help to make a difference by raising awareness so that even more visually-impaired people can learn about and join their free postal library.”

Claire Tobin, of Wantage C of E Primary School, has been using Living Paintings Teacher Resou-rces for four years.

She said: “It is phenomenal that a blind child is able to learn so much through ‘visual learning’ – creating greater levels of independence.”