DEADLY wildlife enthusiast Steve Backshall enjoyed a close encounter with some friendlier creatures yesterday in Oxford.

A queue stretched out of the shop’s front doors and around the corner into Cornmarket Street as Mr Backshall signed copies of his new novel, Ghosts of the Forest, at Waterstones bookshop.

Young fans gave him a grilling on his wildlife knowledge.

Mr Backshall, who presents the CBBC wildlife TV show Deadly 60, said: “I was incredibly happy with the signing. I had a fantastic time.

“I always love coming to Oxford.”

Nature fans quizzed Mr Backshall on his wildlife knowledge, asking taxing questions such as how many teeth does a hippo have.

He revealed that his favourite animal was a wolf.

Waterstones staff member Charlie Hayes said: “This was probably the biggest queue we have had since David Attenborough was here.

“There were a lot of kids with amazing questions. It was a great event.”

Ghosts of the Forest is the sequel to Mr Backshall’s fiction debut Tiger Wars, and follows the adventures of Saker and Sinter, who are on the run in the jungles of south-east Asia.

The pair find themselves becoming unwitting eco-warriors, with a mission to try to save endangered organutans that live in the jungle.