MICHAEL Morpurgo’s children’s tale about a Devon  boy  who braves the trenches  of the  First World War in the  hope of  finding his beloved  horse is destined for Hollywood.

It has emerged Steven  Spielberg  has bought the  film rights to War  Horse, the  hugely popular book  that became a massive West End   hit.

Mr Morpurgo, who wrote  the  1982 novel after moving  to a  farm in Iddesleigh, near  Winkleigh, welcomed the  news that  his story was being developed by  the director  and producer  behind  Schindler’s List, Saving  Private Ryan and ET.

He said: “After such a fantastic success  with the play,  it needs someone  of his  imagination and skill at   turning books into great visual  experiences for the film  version.”

The film rights to the children’s  book have been acquired by Mr  Spielberg’s  DreamWorks Studios.

The director said he had   been deeply moved by the  story  of a young boy who   follows the horse to the Western  Front in 1914. He added  that he had known  that he  wanted to make the story   into a film from the moment  he  read it.

 “Its heart and its message  provide a story that can be   felt in every country,” he  said.