The fatherly exploits of editor Peter Barron are set to aid charity through a new book based on his weekly column in the Northern Echo.

Volume 1 of Dad at Large – a compilation of articles from the column of that name – drew unexpected publicity on the day that Tony Blair’s son, Leo, was born. The Daily Telegraph carried a picture of the Prime Minister reading a copy on its front page.

Now, a second volume is planned – and cash from each copy sold will go to Butterwick Children’s Hospice, Stockton.

Mr Barron began writing the column nine years ago, when his first child, Christopher, was born.

“It was supposed to last a month but it’s become a bit of a soap opera,” he said.

Dad at Large proved so popular that the first compilation was published in 1997, after the birth of Mr Barron’s fourth child, Max. Like the Prime Minister, child No 4 came somewhat out of the blue.

“When I’ve met Mr Blair, we’ve had a bit of a laugh about it,” said Mr Barron.

The Prime Minister was in his Sedgefield constituency when the news broke that wife Cherie was expecting. Mr Barron sent a photographer to cover the PM’s visit and asked him to take along a signed copy of Dad at Large in the hope that Mr Blair would pose for a picture. He did, and, with a freelance photographer present, the picture appeared in several national newspapers.

“I had forgotten all about it until the Telegraph came out on May 20,” Mr Barron said.

“You couldn’t buy that kind of publicity – there’s the Prime Minister on the front of Britan’s biggest-selling quality daily newspaper, reading your book! It was amazing.”

Naturally, Mr Barron milked the exposure in his next column.

“The new father-of-four has clearly been refreshing his knowledge on the delights of nappy-changing, bed-hopping and sick-wiping,” he told Echo readers. “He might be Prime Minister but, as far as this column’s concerned, he’s just another dad…”