BEST-SELLING children's author Malorie Blackman will visit youngsters at Southampton General Hospital this Wednesday.

Malorie, author of the Noughts and Crosses trilogy and Pig-Heart Boy, is stopping by as part of the Children's Party at the Palace outreach programme.

The event will see Malorie read from some of her best-loved stories and discuss her writing with youngsters.

The event aims to bring some of the magic of the Queen's 80th birthday party at Buckingham Palace this year for youngsters who are unable to go.