AN illustrator and designer from Tenby has seen her latest venture into colouring book adventures top the Amazon book charts.

Millie Marotta, who works from her studio at home on St. John's Hill, near the resort's North Beach, has seen her latest illustrated book with an adult twist, 'Animal Kingdom', sell over 500,000 copies worldwide since its publication six months ago.

Thirty-six-year-old Millie, a former art teacher at Pembroke Comprehensive School, grew up in Devils Bridge in Ceredigion and went to school in Aberystwyth, before studying illustration in colleges at Haverfordwest, Carmarthen and Swansea.

In 2013, she was approached by Batsford Ltd, her now-publisher, to see if she would be interested in doing the book, and Animal Kingdom, which took eight months to complete, this week landed the number one slot in Amazon.co.uk's top 100 books, having spent 100 days in the top 100 chart.

The book, which is made up of detailed line illustrations of animals, plants and birds and encourages users to add their own touches with colours or line drawing, has also reached number six in the latest Sunday Times paperback non-fiction chart.

Millie, who moved to Tenby around 12 years ago, said that she had always been passionate about nature and the outdoors.

"Living and working in such a beautiful place as Tenby, with all its beaches and stunning natural surroundings is certainly very inspiring, especially given that my work is predominantly nature based," she explained.

"Growing up on a smallholding in the middle of nowhere I developed a mild obsession with all things flora and fauna, which along with intricate pattern and detail remains an ongoing theme in my work, whether it be for a commission or simply to indulge my own flight of fancy," added Millie, who is now working on her next book, Millie Marotta's Tropical Wonderfuland, which is due to be released this summer.