Blessed are the squeak

WHAT do you get if you cross a cat with religion and a posse of church mice spiced up with few tales of the unexpected?

The answer is a series of 12 picture book classics that have captured the hearts and the imaginations of generations of youngsters for nearly 30 years.

Dorset-based author and illustrator, Graham Oakley may not be a household name of the ilk of JK Rowling and Roald Dahl, but his stunning artwork and quirky tales are instantly recognisable by fans everywhere.

Yet the self-effacing writer still appears slightly mystified 28 years on by the acclaim and affection the books have evoked - from adults even more than the children they supposedly buy them for.

His devoted following has been inspired by his comic tales of the long-suffering cat, Sampson and the band of scheming church mice - led by the bossy Humphrey - who play on the cat's religious vow never to hurt his fellow creatures. The result is a series of hilarious adventures set in the idyllic town of Wortlethorpe, which are brought to life in extraordinarily detailed illustrations.

Graham, who is 72 and now in virtual retirement, said: "The Church Mice books really began as a bit of light relief. I didn't have a particular market audience in mind when I started out on them - I suppose I just pleased myself and hoped that if I liked the books other people would too."

Admirers of his work have set up a website dedicated to promoting his humorous illustrations across the globe as some of the earlier books are becoming harder to get hold of as they go out of print.

In the latest adventure of his amazing ecclesiastical characters, the Lyme Regis writer has paid tribute to the county where he lives and works by immortalising the coastal resort he calls home. The newly published The Church Mice Take a Break is all about a stowaway trip to the seaside and the trouble it lands the gang in.

And the distinctive seafront at Lyme, the fossil shops in the town and the Cobb are all captured in the intricate and acutely observed illustrations.

He said: "I like living in Lyme, it's a lovely town and I have used it as the inspiration for the seaside resort in the latest book. The locals here seem to love it - the book's been selling like hotcakes."

Graham is one of a handful of well-known book artists and illustrators who live in the resort - including Laurence and Cathy Anholt and Peter Joyce.

Although Graham's background is in illustration, he worked for many years as a set designer for the BBC and did a stint at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden before returning to his background in art to publish his first book.

He said: "I had already illustrated several books for other writers while working as a set designer for the BBC - working on books for adults as well as children. I originally trained as an artist, fitting in my national service between a course at Wallington Art School. After I left there I worked for a time in a commercial art studio and then went on to do stage design in Bradford.

"I spent some time in repertory theatre designing sets and painting scenery. I think that's why buildings are so important in my illustrations."

Graham has also done a spot of work in the tough world of advertising agencies - but soon returned to the theatre. After two years working in the creative hot-house setting of the Royal Opera House, he went on to TV and was with the BBC's distinguished historical drama department for 15 years.

He remembers: "In my day we didn't have so much location work in costume drama, so it was my job to recreate the era of the dramatisation entirely within the studio. That can be quite a difficult task. We did a lot of Charles Dickens and Walter Scott dramatisations and often came across areas which we were unable to research. Of course audiences are always quick to pick out inaccuracies - I think they just liked to catch us out."

To switch off from the stresses of the busy schedule at the BBC, Graham started dabbling with book illustrations. And once he'd got into his stride he attempted a book of his own.

He said: "Illustration had always been something I'd enjoyed - right from my initial training. I found it a good way of relaxing away from TV. I'd just go home and draw my silly pictures and found it was good fun.

"I did it merely to amuse myself - and once the first book was published I realised they amused other people as well."

Graham's interest in drawing buildings - sparked by his background in set design - was his starting point in launching himself into the world of children's illustrated fiction.

He explained: "Originally I had intended to do a series based on the buildings you find in a town. I started with the church - which of course I had to fill with the obligatory church mice. The book worked so well I just decided to stick with the church - so I never got round to all the other buildings."

The relationship the church mice have with Sampson the cat is the hook on which many of the tales hang. Graham said: "The church cat took one of the sermons he heard about loving his fellow creatures to heart and vowed never to harm the church mice."

Although Graham says his first Church Mice book was his most successful, the lovable characters have appeared in 11 other volumes including Church Mice at Christmas, Church Cat Abroad and Humphrey hits the Jackpot.

Graham's own personal favourite of his books is the one is which the church mice take a rocket to the moon - but his troublesome characters have also encountered a trendy hippy vicar, run amok in the local cat show and had a festive adventure or two as the church gets set to celebrate Christmas.

Despite the loyal enthusiasts for the Church Mice series, Graham revealed the new book may well be the last in the adventures of the rodents of Wortlethorpe. He said: "I do have a lot of affection for the church mice - I certainly have enjoyed writing and illustrating the books - but I think they may be coming to the end of their life now."

But that doesn't mean the books will stop coming. Graham is already immersed in an epic new project - a version of Beauty and the Beast, complete with ornate Pre-Raphaelite-style paintings to illustrate it.

He said: "It's not the kind of book that has an envisaged market, but it's something I want to do.

"I still work long hours on my illustrations and I like to come up with my own projects because I know I'm in control and I don't have to think about the market audience.

"Instead I can focus on what I want to create. This isn't a commercial venture - and I'm really enjoying it."

Pleasing himself when it comes to producing books has worked in the past for Graham Oakley - perhaps it will again.