A new children's novel set in Roman and modern times is due to be published.

The Timewaif Chronicles: Timewaif and the Roman Road is packed with adventure and action.

It also tackles some of the real problems children face, including bullying, racism, grief, and taking on the role of carer for parents.

The book, by Lake District-based author Deborah Lyon, is set on the west coast of Cumbria.

It is due to be published on September 28.

The story follows 12-year-old Tim Wainwright, who struggles with his mum's intense grief after the death of his dad and the constant taunting of village bullies.

Only his best friend Annie brings any fun to his life.

Fleeing his tormentors after school one day, he finds a hidden cave in the sea cliffs.

Once inside, he leaps through an enchanted hopscotch board to emerge into a very different Cumbria - two thousand years in the past.

This is an ancient land of Romans and Britons under the rule of Emperor Hadrian.

Tim soon realises he must navigate a totally different culture, facing adventures which challenge not only his resilience and wits to the limit but even risk his very life.

The book is the first in the Timewaif series of historical novels set throughout the ages for children to enjoy.

Deborah Lyon, after a career in financial public relations, moved to the Lake District where she started a successful holiday let business.

She keeps busy running her company and raising a blended family of five children.

Ms Lyon recently took a Masters in Creative Writing as she develops being a professional writer.

She said: "The book was inspired by a visit to the ruins of the Roman fort Galava, and seeing the tombstone of a man called Flavius in a local museum.

"His tombstone describes how he was killed in a raid on the fort, but with no more information.

"I started to wonder how Flavius had died, constructing stories in my head, and began researching Roman Britain in Cumbria.

"There was so much rich detail, which I knew would interest my own kids.

"From there the idea of a timeslip novel moving between modern Cumbria and its ancient counterpart came into being, with a young lad struggling with life on the west coast finding out about his own inner strength and resilience through experiences in this ancient period of history."

For more information about the book, visit Troubador's website.