They could be record breakers before summer’s out. DAVID WHETSTONE tells of the kids who are out to catch dreams in the name of literature

EIGHTY children from three Newcastle primary schools had a very good excuse for daydreaming as they visited their new school just before the end of term.

For the youngsters from Byker, Walkergate and Welbeck primaries helped to make an enormous dream catcher as they visited Benfield School, Newcastle, where they will be starting in September.

Under the supervision of artist and theatre set designer Alison Ashton, they were hoping to set a new dream catcher world record while also promoting the 29th Northern Children’s Book Festival (NCBF).

The theme of this year’s festival, which will culminate in a gala weekend at Benfield School on November 19 and 20, is Dream a Little Dream.

The current world record for a dream catcher is held by Carol and Albert Edwards, of California, who constructed a monster measuring 2.74m in diameter and 8.61m circumference.

The record has stood since September 8, 2009 and it seems that the Americans should enjoy it while it lasts, for the Benfield dream catcher’s vital statistics are 3m in diameter and 9.42m circumference.

However, there are always formalities with these things and it will be six weeks before the children find out if they are officially record breakers.

Dream catchers were part of Native American culture. Made of a web of yarn stretched across a circular frame, they were hung above a sleeper. Nightmares, it was believed, would get entangled in the web while the good dreams would slip through the hole in the middle.

Neil Walker, head teacher at Benfield School, said: “The children are very excited about finding out the result of our dream catcher efforts but the final product really looks fantastic in its own right and is a wonderful tribute to NCBF.

“The festival is a really fun event which our students always enjoy, so we are really pleased to be hosting the gala weekend at Benfield this year.