The Sidmouth Probus Ladies Club was visited by television reporter and author Simon Hall last week.

After the club’s usual business the BBC Spotlight presenter outlined the theme for his books, based on the interaction between a television reporter and a particular policeman.

It is heavily associated with his own career, spanning more than 20 years, and pointed to the example of a particular incident in Cornwall some years ago where the use of television brought to justice the killers of an elderly man.

Simon has been writing for the past five years, and the series of books, totalling six at the moment, are mainly set in Devon, around Plymouth and on Dartmoor.

They all involve the two main characters, and he said he hopes to complete around 10 books with the same theme.

He read a passage from his latest book, Shadows of Justice, to the Probus Ladies, and told some anecdotes around the life of a BBC reporter as well as taking part in a questions and answers session at the meeting on Thursday, May 2.

Beryl Bacon from the club said some of the members snapped up copies of the book, adding Mr Hall’s talk had been very well received.