THE author of a book which inspired a wartime drama on ITV has welcomed a new novel series allowing characters to live on after the TV drama was scrapped.

Oxford author Julie Summers wrote Jambusters, which inspired the Second World War series Home Fires.

Last year there were protects from viewers when the drama, starring Samantha Bond and Francesca Annis,was scrapped by ITV.

Now the show’s creator Simon Block has written a series of Home Fires novels.

He said: “People on social media began to ask me if it might not be possible to continue the stories as books.

“It was at that point I began to seriously consider the idea. If it couldn’t continue on television, why not in book form?

“ Novels are adapted for the screen all the time, why not the other way round?”

Miss Summers said she was ‘delighted’ Home Fires would live on in Mr Block’s novels.

She added: “I hope this does not spell an end to my involvement with Home Fires.

“I have had no input into the novels which are based of the television characters and not the women in my book.

“I’m delighted for the fans of Home Fires who have been so saddened by ITV’s decision to drop the series after just two seasons.

“They will at least get answers to the questions raised at the end of series two.”

Three new novels are being written and the first, Keep the Home Fires Burning, will be published as a four-part ebook serial with a new instalment released each month from July.