LORD of The Rings star Sir Ian McKellen has lent his voice to an audio version of a new smash-hit children's novel.

The former Bolton School pupil has recorded Wolf Brother, a novel which earned a record £3 million advance for author Michelle Paver.

The story is set 6,000 years ago in the forests of Northern Europe. It focuses on Torak, a 12 year-old hunter in the middle Stone-Age who teams up with an orphaned wolf cub.

The novel was originally written 20 years ago by Paver, who researched the story by living with nomadic tribesmen in Finland, Lapland and Greenland.

McKellen, who has also featured in the X-Men super hero films, is currently in demand for his voice-overs as well as his acting talent.

He has been signed up to provide the voice of bouncy character Zebedee in the new film version of children's series The Magic Roundabout.