Potter magic for convicts

Harry Potter author JK Rowling has brought joy to illiterate prisoners in Edinburgh.

The millionaire whose writing has won her millions of fans worldwide presented awards to inmates at Edinburgh Prison after being invited by the Shannon Trust.

David Ahern from the trust said: "We were delighted that JK Rowling was able to visit. She gave the prisoners a real boost.

"Some were just starting out on the scheme and this gave them a real incentive to continue learning."

Following her visit, Rowling said: "It was a very positive experience. Learning to read represents a significant turning point in anyone's life, and may be the one thing that makes a difference to help people in prison turn their lives around."

According to the charity, 65 per cent of all prisoners have a reading age of 11 years or under.

This stops them from finding employment on release, making them three times more likely to reoffend than those who go on to get a job.

Rowling, 42, is one of the richest women in the world, with a fortune estimated by US magazine Forbes at $504 million (£250 million).

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