Books lent out to Tube commuters

The books are given out on loan from stalls outside Tube stations

Books are being loaned to commuters on the London Underground in a scheme aimed at giving readers an alternative to free newspapers.

Novels are handed out free to commuters outside five Tube stations once a month in the Choose What You Read scheme.

They are returned the following month or to a central London "drop" box.

Co-founder Alfie Boyd said: "Everyone enjoys reading a nice story rather than about a useless celebrity that no-one really cares about too much."

He began the scheme with friend Claire Wilson to give commuters an alternative to the "tonnes of free newspapers dished out and thrown away every day".

(The books) don't generally get thrown away by people, they just go back into circulation Co-founder Alfie Boyd

All the books were donated to the scheme by the pair's friends and members of the public.

Once they have finished each commuter is encouraged to add their name to a list of readers inside its cover before returning it.

"They don't generally get thrown away by people, they just go back into circulation," said Mr Boyd.

Books will be on loan outside Liverpool Street, Waterloo, Westminster, Euston and Paddington stations on 5 May.

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Commuters are being handed out free books instead of newspapers at a station