Oxford author Philip Pullman has spoken of his delight after Northern Lights was voted the best children's book of the past 70 years.

The fantasy novel won the 'Carnegie of Carnegies', chosen from past winners of the Carnegie Medal for children's literature.

It is part of the His Dark Materials trilogy, which The Association of Christian Teachers wanted banned, saying it undermined the Church.

He said: "This accolade is an enormous pleasure to receive. It is without any question the most important honour I have ever received and the one I treasure the most.

"I am humbled and honoured that Northern Lights has been chosen from among so many wonderful books."

Mr Pullman, a former Oxford teacher, took 40 per cent of the votes in the global poll of readers commissioned to mark the 70th anniversary of the Carnegie Medal.

The shortlist included such classics as The Borrowers by Mary Norton and Tom's Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce. It did not include JK Rowling's Harry Potter books.

Jonathan Douglas, director of the National Literacy Trust and a member of the judging panel which whittled the 70 nominees down to a shortlist of 10, said the competition was "formidable".

Northern Lights is being turned into a film, starring Daniel Craig and Nicole Kidman, to be released in December under the title The Golden Compass.