Children’s imaginations ran wild as they played at being Captain Hook, Long John Silver and other villains from children’s books at Maida Vale Library.

Ten young people took part in the event at the library in Sutherland Avenue on Saturday, making their own pirate masks and hunting for treasure that was hidden around the library.

Library assistant Eric Walker said: “They all seemed to be very happy. They came up with some fairly crazy-looking masks and had a good time making a lot of mess.”

The event was organised by library staff to encourage children and families to continue using the library. It was closed in August and reopened in the basement after structural damage was discovered in its roof.