HORACE and Hattie are off on an adventure around the world!

Created by a West Devon couple, children's book 'Hedgehugs' featuring Horace and Hattie has been a huge success around the country — with people enjoying the storyline of these two hedgehogs learning how to hug despite being too 'spiky'.

Hedgehugs was created by former Tavistock College student and TV presenter Steve Wilson and his wife Lucy Tapper, a talented illustrator.

But now Hedgehugs will be in millions of homes not just in Great Britain but across America and South Korea, after publishers Maverick made a successful bid to Macmillan Books in America.

Steve said it had been a dream of his and Lucy's to write and design a book together: 'We are over the moon — this is all we have ever wanted, but I never believed it would go overseas so this is all a dream come true.'

He added that the idea for the book began after Lucy had drawn some illustrations of hedgehogs.

'Lucy's sketches of the characters were so cute and cuddly looking, but we realised that to hug a real hedgehog would be a very prickly affair!

'This gave us the idea for the story of Horace and Hattie. How can two spiky creatures hug? We worked out the answer to their problem when Lucy was wondering why our socks go missing in the wash. It's the perfect answer for two spiky animals. Crawl inside a sock each, and enjoy a cosy Hedgehug.

'I am so pleased with the book and how well people have received it — so far the sky's the limit.'

But the good news does not stop there for the Milton Abbot couple.

Not only have they had the book read out on the popular children's BBC programme CBeebies Bedtime Stories by Ben Faulks, but Steve and Lucy could soon have Hedgehugs made into an animated show on the children's channel.

A few lines of the story were brought to life in animation for approximately 16 seconds and 'pitched' to CBeebies.

The channel receives around 1,000 applications a year and bosses only speak with 30 applicants and whittle that down to three. The people in charge at CBeebies contacted Steve and Lucy and said they 'loved it' and told the couple that they would know before Christmas whether they have been chosen as one of the lucky three.

'We are in the final stages', said Steve: 'This is such an exciting time and to get to be part of the 30 chosen from 1,000 is incredible.'

But if that was not enough good news for Steve and Lucy, their business 'FromLucy.com' is also expanding and moving to bigger and better premises at the new units on Crelake Industrial Estate, Tavistock.

The business sells a wide range of personalised products from birthday to new home gifts, and baby gifts to anniversaries, calendars and family organisers, all with an authentic touch from 'Love Birds' to their characters Horace and Hattie. This month also sees the couple overseeing the launch of FromLucy.fr, the first overseas branch of FromLucy in France.

Lucy and Steve recently visited a nursery in Plymouth to read their book to the children, answer questions about their work, and to view the Hedgehugs colouring projects the children had been doing at the nursery.

Steve and Lucy were delighted to also meet 'Harry' the albino hedgehog, who was staying with the nursery for two weeks and being looked after by the staff and children.

Steve said: 'We had a lovely morning with everyone at Sunbeams Nursery, and were delighted to read our story featuring Horace and Hattie, in the presence of Harry the real hedgehog, as well as all the delightful children and staff. We'll be back to read our new book, the second in the Hedgehugs series, when it is published early next year.'

'The second book in the Hedgehugs series is due out in May 2015 and features Horace and Hattie once again, only this time, they meet a creature they have never seen before, and realise that their spikes are actually very useful.'