Dolly Parton has accepted an invitation to join a branch of the Rotary Club in the UK.

The country singer supports a children’s library in the seaside resort, in partnership with the Cleethorpes organization.

Dolly Parton has become an honorary member of the town’s branch of the charity, the first she has joined outside the US.

Former club president Rolf Sperr said the members were surprised when Dolly Parton agreed to join.

“We wrote to her and we never actually expected this,” he said.

“All of a sudden we got an email saying Dolly accepted to be an honorary member of our club.

“We couldn’t believe it, to be really honest.”

Dolly Parton is behind a literacy scheme to encourage pre-school children to read.

One of her Imagination Libraries opened at Cleethorpes’ Little Stars Day Nursery, in March. Children at the nursery will be given a free book every month until they are five.

Almost 60 libraries have been set up across the UK under the scheme, since the first opened in Rotherham in 2007. The project recently handed out its millionth book.