Author and television personality Will Self drew a capacity crowd to Friern Barnet Library this week where he appeared to speak about his new book.

The former Shooting Stars panellist read extracts from his new novel Umbrella and spoke with an audience at the closed library, re-opened by squatters in September.

The 51-year-old gave his support to the campaign to re-open the library from a group that has put more than 8,000 books back on the shelves since taking over the empty premises.

Barnet Council is in the process of getting the group evicted but a decision on whether they can stay will fall to a district judge when the case is heard in December.

Will Self signed copies of his new book on Wednesday at what is the latest in a series of public events at the former community hub.