The Children of Broadaxe Wood

By Brian O'Donnell

Putrid streams that flow too slowly through a local wood, leaving puddles and pools of a hostile environment in its wake.

Where children used to play is becoming desolate and lifeless. Even the trees are showing signs of ill health.

But three children are determined to find out what ails Broadaxe Wood. Harry, Eric and Sam don’t know how to tackle the problem, but they find an unusual ally in the form of a talking tree!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Release date: Aug 18, 2023
• ISBN: 9781398428225

Brian O'Donnell

Brian O’Donnell was born in Tyneside… the middle one of five brothers, whose love of books was encouraged by their parents, Jean and Jerry. After leaving secondary modern school, he took up an engineering apprenticeship which involved a spell in London. From there, he joined the Merchant Navy sailing to the Persian Gulf and India, and shuttled between New York and the Caribbean Gulf. He returned home but had a tough time finding steady work, so he enrolled as a mature student at Northumbria University, graduated with honours, and assumed a teaching post in Newcastle. An illness forced his premature retirement, so he started a less stressful job as a market researcher. He is married to the best smile in Tyneside and has twin boys and a daughter.

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About the Author

Brian O’Donnell was born in Tyneside… the middle one of five brothers, whose love of books was encouraged by their parents, Jean and Jerry.

After leaving secondary modern school, he took up an engineering apprenticeship which involved a spell in London. From there, he joined the Merchant Navy sailing to the Persian Gulf and India, and shuttled between New York and the Caribbean Gulf.

He returned home but had a tough time finding steady work, so he enrolled as a mature student at Northumbria University, graduated with honours, and assumed a teaching post in Newcastle. An illness forced his premature retirement, so he started a less stressful job as a market researcher.

He is married to the best smile in Tyneside and has twin boys and a daughter.

Dedication

To Harry Kilgallon, a father-in-law I wish I’d met and to my wife Margaret, who enjoyed his company before cancer claimed him.

Copyright Information ©

Brian O’Donnell 2023

The right of Brian O’Donnell to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by the author in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.

Any person who commits any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.

ISBN 9781398428218 (Paperback)

ISBN 9781398428225 (ePub e-book)

www.austinmacauley.com

First Published 2023

Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd®

1 Canada Square

Canary Wharf

London

E14 5AA

Acknowledgement

For my wonderful daughter, Rachel, for her help with computer skills, which she gave unstintingly.

Not forgetting my friend, John Errington, for regular input.

Chapter 1

My twin brother, Harry (who looks nothing like me), our little sister, Samantha, and I were walking in Broadaxe Wood. Mam and Dad were with us, of course, but a little way behind. Harry and I were hiding from Samantha (if you think that’s a rotten thing to do, wait until you have a little sister following you all over the place). We were teasing her, running from bare tree to bare tree. Apart from the odd evergreen, the trees were without leaves. Trees without leaves are ugly things