Sheffield Central Library-goers were treated to a reading of Oliver Twist today from a man in full Victorian dress.

Mike Gardner, from the Sheffield Dickens Fellowship, read Charles Dickens’s classic novel for an hour at 12:30pm to commemorate the bicentenary of Dickens’s birth

He said: “This has been brilliant, it’s reminding people that the books are worth reading. There’s so much more detail in the books than in the TV adaptations. They are also much funnier.

“Dickens can show you misery while making you smile at the same time,” he added.

1500 free copies

The event was part of the ‘City Read of Oliver Twist’ month which is being promoted by libraries across Sheffield.

Volunteers have boarded trams and taken to the streets to give away 1500 free copies of the Victorian classic.

Alex Holyoake, who is leading the commemoration, said: “It’s all about celebrating Dickens, getting some books out there and encouraging people to read.

“We’re also hoping people just enjoy themselves and come to the library and join in.”