The Peterborough firm spent 250,000 to roll out full-colour children's books in runs of 200 to 500.

It joins a second Heidelberg Digimaster 9110, bought after the first became a European record-breaker with over 100m impressions.

Forward Press made its name printing verse because "poets are in need of bridges to publishing, not barriers", said managing director Ian Walton. The firm, which runs the Top 100 Poets Award, has helped 800,000 poets to get into print in the past 16 years.