A FIRST-TIME author has raised more than £1,000 for charities close to her heart after publishing her debut book.

Senior citizen Dorothy Holliday became a published writer at the age of 76 and sold 200 copies of her book Blast From the Past.

The money has been split between Crohn's UK and a charity which supports children with respiratory condition primary ciliary dyskinesia, or PCD.

Dorothy, who lives in Wemyss Bay with her husband Charlie, was born in 1942 during the war and the book follows her life up until 1963.

She said: "I feel shocked that I've sold 200 books.

"I'm really overwhelmed by the response.

"I was panic stricken at the launch, so many people turned up.

"I felt like an author."

Dorothy, who has two grown-up children and two grandchildren, says she has had great feedback about her work.

She said: "People are enjoying the book.

"A lot of people have read it twice and are asking when the next one is coming out.

"I was a home help for 26 years and the girls I worked with wanted me to write a book about that the home help service.

"I'm taking a break just now but I think I will write another book about the next part of my life as a 60s bride."

Dorothy previously raised money for the charities by building two pence towers and including the book sales she has raised an overall total of £3,351.

* If anyone wants to order a copy of Blast From The Past they should call Dorothy on 520845.