A BOOK written by a former BBC journalist who grew up near Newtown has hit the shelves.

Saturdays are Black or White is the latest work by Brian Jarman, a journalist and lecturer who was born on a farm at Lower Gwestydd.

The book, which is set in and around Newport in south Wales, is about how sibling rivalry can go wrong.

The novel centres on Arwyn, who left his family farm in the Black Mountains to be a TV presenter in London.

Now retired, Arwyn hasn’t spoken to his brother Bren - who stayed to work at the farm - for 30 years until one Saturday evening when a message is left on his phone.

Mr Jarman, who is a twin, said: “I drew on my upbringing on a farm near Newtown in Powys and my career in the media to bring two very different worlds together.

“I wanted to explore the complex nature of being a twin, right down to how they see the days of the week in different colours, and that’s the meaning of the title.

“The novel is also about how sibling rivalry can sometimes go wrong, and this is where the fiction begins.”

Mr Jarman also has a publishing consultancy - helpmepublish.co.uk - aiming to help aspiring writers.

Mr Jarman, who had worked for the BBC for 22 years and lectured at London Metropolitan University for 10 years, has published four novels. prior to this – two which are also set in Wales.