One of the most well-known voices in British radio dropped by Oswestry last week to sign copies of his new book.

Simon Mayo, who currently presents Drive on BBC Radio 2, but has also presented on Radio 1 and 5Live, was at the Wynnstay Hotel in Church Street, organised by Booka Bookshop.

The DJ was in town to sign copies of, and talk about, Mad Blood Stirring, a piece of historical fiction about Dartmoor at the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815.

And the 59-year-old, who also hosts a film show with Mark Kermode, admitted he was delighted to kick-off the book tour in Oswestry.

"The the thought of coming out and telling people that this thing happened, etc, is great," he said. "I'm never going back to work – I'm just going to visit every book shop, which I started here in Oswestry.

"There's no point in spending two years writing a book and then not going out and telling people about it.

"You have to do a lot of jumping up and down to make people pay attention, so it was a no-brainer. To be honest, I'd happily spend the next two months doing this because writing is a lonely job, while an exhilarating one too.

"It's you, on your own with your computer so when you're stuck there, you dream of getting out and telling people.

"Writing is the opposite of the radio because the latter is that when you've done one show, you're thinking what's next and it's gone. It's a rapid turnover – I'd have forgotten a show from last month already.

"Whereas this, it's substantial and can sit on someone's shelf forever. It's a visceral experience in the way the radio show isn't so it kind of compliments each other."

Simon is no stranger to book tours having written three for children, but admitted a journey into adult historical fiction wasn't planned.

He added: "The best thing about writing is these events. I did three books in the Itch series and they were for older primary and younger secondary school kids.

"When you get out and meet them, that's a thrilling experience as you realise they're talking a language you almost have to check in with every now and then. To see them with a copy of your book is thrilling.

"But to step up and engage with a new audience all over again is exciting. I had no intention of writing historical fiction but the story was so amazing that I didn't want anyone else to do it – that would be mad."