A top poet entertained children at the East End’s biggest hospital with energetic recitals of some of his most famous rhymes.

Lemn Sissay MBE headed to the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel Road last Thursday to mark National Poetry Day.

He is part of a movement on the ward to encourage more authors to visit sick children to help them in their recovery.

As poet-in-residence, the writer has held workshops with youngsters and their poems will be posted across the new children’s hospital – part of the �1 billion redevelopment - when it opens in February.

Mr Lemn said: “The children have blown me away with their creations. Their imagery has been original, their stories fascinating and I think part of this is because they are cooped up inside a ward and their imaginations are desperate to run free.”

Rachel Louis, manager of charity Vital Arts, the creative arm of Barts and The London NHS trust which is funding the project, said: “Numerous studies suggest that art interventions can help speed patient recovery times.”