PATRICIA Jackson grew up listening to Enid Blyton's traditional tales. The author responsible for introducing children to the Famous Five, and other endearing characters throughout her writing career, has inspired the hypnotherapist to create a series of bedtime stories for children.

However, what sets Patricia's writings apart from Blyton's is that they are hypnotic and designed to help children overcome the many issues which may affect their lives.

Problem sleepers can be lulled off to slumberland through a compilation CD of stories aimed to help children face their fears of the dark and deal with issues such as low self-confidence; bullying; insecurity as well as family situations such as parents splitting up and bereavement.

Patricia has combined her hypnotherapy expertise, drawn from helping thousands of clients face and conquer their phobias for more than 20 years, with her love of writing to create what she describes as charming tales for children which she also says recognise the traditional values many parents remember from their love of Blyton books.

"My father, when I was a child, used to tell me stories about a character called 'Little Billy' who is now in these stories," explains Patricia.

The stories are based in an imaginary place called Blueberry Cottage, home to twins Little Billy and Lily, and which is close to Wobbly Bottom Wood.

"As a child I was also a huge Enid Blyton fan and a lot of people can see the influence in my stories. I think it is time for the old fashioned values coming in for children. A lot of people say they are quite charming and we have two wonderful guinea pigs, Maisy-Rose and Angus," says Patricia, referring to her grandchildren who are her biggest fans!

Patricia tells how she made stories up for her own children, Suzannah and Ben, just as her father had done for her, but she says she didn't plan to sit down at a keyboard and write the stories, the idea just evolved.

She says her inspiration for the cottage and the wood came from her walks through St Ives and the Prince of Wales park close to her Bingley home.

"It is such a magical place," says Suzannah, referring to St Ives with its quirky cottages and carvings.

With encouragement from her daughter Suzannah, whose children Maisy-Rose and Angus have both enjoyed listening to their grandmother's tales, Patricia and Suzannah decided to share them with a worldwide audience by launching the website hypnoticbedtimestory.com

And it has become a real family affair with seven-year-old Maisy and five-year-old Angus getting involved too.

"My children also enjoy working with us," says Suzannah.

"They both feature on some of the stories. Maisy-Rose does the voice of some of the characters, and Angus does very effective dinosaur roaring on the Good Manners CD. They found going to the recording studio very interesting and lots of fun," says Suzannah.

"We have also used their photographs on the CD front covers and on the website. We enjoyed going to 'Wobbly bottom Wood' (St Ives) to take pictures too. Maisy-Rose and Angus helped me to find some of the characters up there; Squeaky Squirrel, Olly Owl and Dolly Dormouse to name a few."

As a parent, Suzannah - who is expecting her third child - has also seen first-hand the benefits the CDs bring to her children.

"Both Maisy-Rose and Angus regularly listen to the CDs. Personally I find Sleep Well and Get Up & Ready for school really helpful!

"The bereavement CD has come in handy too, as sadly Maisy-Rose knew someone who passed away recently.

We use first hand, real life experience to decide which subjects to deal with, relevant to my children and family and friend's children too. All our hypnotic bedtime stories have been tested on a large focus group of volunteers," says Suzannah, who enjoys working with her mum and also relishes having the flexibility to fit her career around caring for her children.

"Mum and I love working together, we feel very lucky to be able to do so. She has strengths where I don't and vice versa. She is the qualified hypnotherapist with many years experience and also the creative story writer," says Suzannah.

"I do all the IT technical things to do with the website and the production of the actual CDs and processing orders behind the scenes. This works well for me as I can work from home and fit it around looking after my two, (soon to be three) children."

Patricia says she finds working with her daughter 'rewarding.' "We have both got talents in different ways. Two halves make a whole. It is enjoyable. We get on very well, we have fun doing it and together we make a good team."

Aimed at primary school children, Patricia says they are confident the stories they have recorded so far will become popular not just at home, but across the globe.

While beneficial for primary school children, Jackson & Jackson Hypnotic Bedtime Stories can also help older children, teenagers and adults.

Patricia explains children enter hypnosis every day when day-dreaming or during play. She explains when children are called and don't respond quite often it isn't that they are being naughty or didn't hear, they are totally absorbed and in a 'trance' or hypnotised.

She says hypnosis is totally natural and is an altered state of awareness during which time a child's subconscious mind absorbs direct and indirect suggestions and subliminal messages.

Each story begins with the same induction gently guiding children into a relaxed state of hypnosis enabling their subconscious mind to open to positive suggestions.

Patricia explains how rapport is an important element for hypnosis. Speaking in a gentle, calming tone, children are instantly at ease with Patricia's voice.

"By getting this message out now and helping them when they are five, six, seven or eight can have such a huge knock-on effect and help them as adults to be a lot more grounded and confident, you name it," says Patricia.

"Children look forward to bedtime, whilst listening to an enjoyable story they don't realise they are receiving powerful therapy."

* For more information go to hypnoticbedtimestory.com. For every CD sold £1 will be donated to the charity Save the Children.