FOR the 20th year running, West Devon author Lilian Harry is among the top most-borrowed authors in UK public libraries.

The authoress, is well known for her 'Burracombe' series, all published by Orion, which were set during the second world war in Portsmouth, Plymouth or Dartmoor and several have been included in the Sunday Times Top 10. Burracombe is the fictional West Devon village for her popular stories.

Figures released by the Office of Public Lending Rights show that her books have, in total, been borrowed 258,735 times over the past year.

Lilian, of Tavistock, said:?'At the current rate of payment of 6.05p per borrow, that would give me a payment of more than  £155,000 for just one book! But as there are nearly 24,000 authors registered, there is quite rightly a ceiling of £6,600 per author, so it is more fairly shared out this way.'

Only 313 authors reached the top limit in 2011 to 2012, with the vast majority being paid between £1 and £99. Last year, Lilian was number 96 in the list and expects to attain a similar position this year.

Her most borrowed book 'An Heir For Burracombe' was the most recent to feature in the list and was taken home 31,484 times.

Lilian Harry's latest book, 'Secrets in Burracombe', which was published in August last year and will be in the bookshops in paperback on February 16, will be added to the list next year.

The book is the sixth in Lilian Harry's popular series set on Dartmoor in the 1950s. The seventh, 'Christmas in Burracombe' will be published in November and she is currently working on the eighth.