This week we’ve welcomed a book-shaped bench to Guardian Towers: it’s been beautifully illustrated by Chris Riddell and it’s dedicated to Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere, as voted for by our readers.

It is part of a project by the National Literacy Trust which has seen 50 benches displayed across London this summer, with beautiful designs from illustrators using city-related characters as inspiration. There’s one last chance to spot the benches this weekend, before they are collected up for an auction on 7 October to raise funds for literacy – you can find out more and bid for your favourite bench here.

The Neverwhere bench was a late addition, so it will stay out until 3 October in the exhibition space at the Guardian in King’s Place, London. Here we reveal the inside story of the bench, from Chris Riddell’s sketches to its arrival on the streets of London where it had two celebrity visitors. Enjoy!