This seven-year-old girl won World Book Day today with her amazing Miss Trunchbull costume – complete with big monobrow and bag of shot puts.
Lilly Cant, seven, shunned the usual fairy tale characters to dress up as the fearsome headteacher from Matilda.
Striking the bully’s classic pose, little Lilly, from Torquay, Devon, had her mum Laura, 29, in fits of giggles as she headed off to St Marychurch Primary School.
Her costume included the Roald Dahl character’s 1972 Olympics hoodie, monobrow, weight belt and bag of shot puts.
Laura, a lettings agent, said: “Matilda is Lilly’s favourite book and one of her favourite films.
“She wanted to go as Miss Trunchbull – I asked her why not Matilda and she said it was too easy!
“It was very easy to put together, almost all of it was ordered from eBay and I got the hoodie printed locally.
“It’s fantastic because a lot of the items can be re used for every day use – the belt is her step dad’s!
“She was bursting at it all when the whole look came together, she couldn’t wait to go to school!
“She gets such a buzz from dressing up and everyone knew exactly who she was straight away!”
Cricket fan Conor, seven, from South Darenth, Kent, decided to change it up a bit and spend the day dressed as English international cricketer Ben Stokes.
His mum Emma, 39, is a cricket fan herself and has been reading the sportsman’s latest biography ‘On Fire: My Story of England’s Summer to Remember’ at home.
Emma said: “Conor has started to take a great interest in all things cricket because I have it on so much at home.
“He already had his cricket top which I’d bought him last year when I was at the World Cup games.
“His pads, gloves and bat are for this summer as he’s booked onto a cricket course at one of our local clubs so he’s getting excited and wanting to practice already which is a pain in this weather!
“The tattoos were an added extra – he looked brilliant!”
Proud parents across the country have been snapping photos of their children in their costumes in support of the celebration of their favourite characters.
Connie Gardner, eight, from Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk dressed up as the beloved bear Paddington for World Book Day at Morerton Hall Prep School.
Her mum account manager Hayley Gardner, 49, said: “Connie announced over breakfast about a month ago that she’d like to dress up as Paddington for world book day.
“She loves the Paddington movies and is always rereading the book and she even enjoys marmalade on her toast in the morning just like Paddington does.
“Luckily enough we had the duffle coat already in the wardrobe so it was just a case of finding a brown onesie and topped it off with a red floppy hat.
“We included a marmalade sandwich wrapped in a brown paper bag and a luggage case which we added initials too and a tag.
“Connie absolutely loved her costume – in fact she was up early this morning which is a first as she couldn’t wait to get ready!
Twins Charlotte and Patrick, six, from Leeds, chose to turn into the mischievous Thing 1 and Thing 2 from Dr Seuss’ classic ‘The Cat in The Hat’.
Sam Morse, nine, from Exeter, Devon, went all out with his costume as he transformed into the Beast of Buckingham Palace from David Walliams’ book.
His mum caseworker Emma Morse, 41, said: “It’s been a real family project and Sam has been involved in cutting, sticking and the ‘creative’ ideas.”