A NOVEL inspired by the story of a young Dunfermline boy who fell from the Forth Bridge while working as a 'Brigger' is being celebrated for World Book Day.

Barbara Henderson, 51, says her "lifelong love" for the Forth Bridge led her to discovering the child who her hero would be based on - 12-year-old John Nicol, who received "nothing more than a wetting" when he fell 80 feet from his post into the river below.

Rivet Boy, which was released in February, is Barbara's ninth book and combines her interest in the iconic landmark as well as history and engineering.

She discovered John's story in a book called The Briggers by Elspeth Wills which has been researched by a group from South Queensferry, aptly named The Briggers themselves.

Barbara explained: "They had researched the lives of the ordinary people who built the bridge rather than the famous designers and engineers.

Dunfermline Press: Barbara Henderson with her book, Rivet Boy, at the Forth Bridge. Barbara Henderson with her book, Rivet Boy, at the Forth Bridge. (Image: Fife Council/Forth Bridges)

"I had read of the many people who had died building the bridge - they were front and centre in the book I was reading - one of them was a 13-year-old from Dunfermline who was the youngest victim, a boy called David Clark.

"I thought, I'm a children's writer, but I don't want to write a tragedy about a boy who died.

"Then I found a newspaper article about 12-year-old John Nicol who fell from the bridge and sustained nothing more than a wetting, it said.

"He fell 80 feet and was fished out and checked over by a doctor and he was fine essentially, so I thought, he's my guy."

After searching through census data, Barbara found that the closest match to John was a boy from Dunfermline whose father had died and would have likely been sent to work on the bridge as the bread winner for his family.

She used this theory to create the protagonist of her novel.

Barbara said: "Because he hates the the idea of leaving school, he is quite bookish, he enjoys that side of things and is terrified of the bridge, of the height, of the type of work he has to do, he seeks solace in the Carnegie Library.

"It has only been opened a few years earlier, it is still comparatively new and his treat and compensation for having to work is to be registered as a library user.

"That's where he strikes up a strong friendship with the first librarian to work in the library, Mr Peebles, who is based on a real person.

"I get interested in a story and it's the 'what if?', What would it have been like to have been a youngster working on this massive structure?

"I wondered what it would be like if you were terrified of heights as I am and it's like, what if this boy who sustained nothing more than a wetting had some really difficult working relationships.

"What if there were people on the bridge who needed him, wanted him, to fail at all costs?"

She added: "It's all within the realm of what I know - I don't like to fly in the face of truth.

"I write in the present tense - the thing about writing historical fiction which I love the most is making it seem like it is happening now.

"It's first person, present tense, they can feel like they are that person in this situation, that's what brings it to life the most."

Barbara, a teacher living in Inverness who started her career working at Woodmill High School in Dunfermline, will be returning to the city for a special World Book Day event today (Thursday) at the Carnegie Libraries and Galleries.

Pupils from Crossford, Commercial, and Pittencrieff Primaries will join her for a chat about the book, a tour round the venue, and a visit to the Andrew Carnegie Birthplace museum.

"There's a scene in the book where he accesses the library for the first time and is feeling so intimidated by the posh ladies and gentlemen there," Barbara said.

"He's a Brigger now and he feels there is no place for him there but he finds himself accepted and that he has equal access to all these resources as the rich people have.

"For me that's a lovely metaphor of what happens now, libraries are these great levellers where everybody has the same access and where nobody is going to ask you to get your wallet out."

"It's a wonderful contrast to the noise of the bridge building site, it's quiet and peaceful and calm and there are stories soaring all around him.

She continued: "I find myself talking at length about Andrew Carnegie, the fact that a man who is very rich should choose to spend his money on 2,811 libraries free to access for other people.

"It was also about celebrating Victorians who were associated with the area but in particular Andrew Carnegie, his picture is in the back of the book."