How it Started!

About 33 years ago in 1982 (or 3) during the days when computers were just beginning to be invented, I was on holiday in Shropshire with my son Sam, who was 7 and a half years old. Luke had just got his first computer, an Acorn and he loved playing games on it and finding out about Robots.

One morning we were walking on the top of Offa’s Dyke which divides England and Wales and is very, very old. I found myself telling Luke the strange and wonderful adventure of Alex and the creatures that used to live under the Dyke – and probably still do. When we got home I wrote the story into a book and he began to draw and colour the pictures of the Wygnet’s story.

Then, one day I put the book away. Then, another day Luke grew up. He made a robot himself and eventually got an MSc in Artificial Intelligence.

Not long ago I opened a drawer and found Alex in Woffaland staring up at me and the Wygnet creatures inside the book said Get us out of here! It’s time you took us stuck in this book out into the world!

So I did and here it is. Let’s start by telling you about the Wygnets ... Here is a picture of them drawn by Sam

You'll meet them in a minute but first of all come and meet Alex Rayner ...

Chapter One Page 6

"That’s baked bees, my most favorite food". Pendleberry cried. She was behind him, giggling. "Try some". She reached out and pulled down a plate. Before she could hand it him, Alex knocked it out of her hand.

"No thank-you. Yuck!"

"What’s “yu..”?"

"Now, now".

A new voice interrupted. 
"Pendle and Pendleberry sit down, take off your puff-balls and make our guest at home. I’m Auntie Prune, Alex. Come and meet the others. This is Professor Grafton". 

Auntie Prune pointed to what seemed to be a rocking chair in the corner. It creaked and was placed under a funny funnel shaped opening in the ceiling. The Wygnet seated in it had huge square-shaped glasses, with an orange rim and he had a ginger beard. As he rocked he held what looked like a periscope up to the strange opening.

"He’s very brainy", Auntie Prune continued. He looks over the top of the Dyke with his twistascope. He takes after his ancestor Cedric you know, in his love of inventions. You should see all the things he’s made down in the Wygnet dungeon".

"Yes, we’ll take you on a tour down there, after tea, after you’ve seen Hector" Pendle said. He was gorging himself on baked-bees and sitting on a stool at the table, swinging his paws underneath. 

"You’ll see, amongst other things, his torture gadgets. He got the idea from the box-programme on the torture chambers called 'Madame Tussauds'. You’ll see poto-types of the puff-ball and of the original Wygnet robot. He's called William". 

"It only takes down our puff-balls from the twigs and fits zem on us, then works out our antennae poperly", 
Pendleberry interrupted.

“Services” them, Pendle said knowingly, you didn’t get yours 'tuned' did you Pendleberry? Not this morning. Uncle W’Eric, Pendle didn’t …

"Yeh … I did … I nearly did. I was just going to and I heard …"


"Oh don’t kick me Pendle. Stop it. I’ll throw these fried ants at you."


"No you won’t."


"Yeh. I will."

"No you won’t, silly pants!"

They weren’t really angry, just full of Wygnet fun.

"Fried ants!
Silly pants, sizzlin’ in a pan
Along came Mackintosh
sizzling in a van."

Someone else had come in. Alex looked towards the entrance where a strange Wygnet creature stood waving his paws about quite madly. This Wygnet’s puff-ball was far too big, like the giant over-sized sweater that Alex’s Gran had knitted him last year. It had sleeves as long as his body.

"'Allo Mackintosh", Auntie Prune sounded stern and scolding, come and eat your whirligig ear-wig soup. It’s getting burnt in the pan."

"Ock-Kay, Ock-Kay!"
Mackintosh wobbled over to the table and sat down on a rickety looking stool. Alex noticed one of the antennae on his puff-ball shoot out and flick under the stool, then suddenly the stool and Mackintosh shot up high above the table. The spoonful of soup in his paw spilt black bits, like midges, over the tablecloth.