Actor and director Peter Mullan has called for more books to be written for working-class boys.

Mr Mullan, who made his name in Ken Loach’s My Name Is Joe in 1998, said there needed to be more literature which young men can relate to, rather than “ancient, middle-class and boring” novels.

His latest film Neds – Non Educated Delinquents – charts the story of a teenager who joins a gang after being dismissed by his school as trouble.

It also contains a scene where the adolescent is bullied after being caught reading a book.

Mr Mullan said there is “not enough literature” that working- class boys can relate to and there “should be more ” for them.

He spoke out while at Holy Cross primary school in Govanhill, Glasgow, to read to pupils as part of a World Book Day event.

He said: “I couldn’t find any books as a kid that appealed to me. They all seemed ancient and middle-class and boring.

“I still don’t think there’s enough literature for particularly young boys aged between 10 and 14. I could be wrong, but I’ve not come across books for that age-group and for that gender.

“I think young girls are served better in terms of literature. Whether that’s a case of supply and demand I have no idea, but I definitely think there should be more interesting, to say the least, books for that particular age-group.”

Mr Mullan, who appeared in films including Shallow Grave, Trainspotting and Braveheart, also condemned the “arrogance” of trying to adapt novels for the big screen.

He said he had been approached “a lot” about turning books into films, but had not yet found a pro-ject he was interested in.

He said: “I think a book should be a book. Usually bad books make good films. It’s unusual for a good book to make a good movie.

“I get asked a lot to do adapt-ations. As yet, I’ve not found one that I want to do.

“Usually with books, when adapted, you take the story and the spine and the structure and when you do that, you miss out.”