Awards and near misses
WINNER of the Gollancz/Sunday Times Best SF Prize (short story) for Let's Go To Golgotha! (1974).
WINNER of the World Fantasy Award (Novella) for The Ragthorn (1992) written with Robert Holdstock.
WINNER of the Interzone Magazine readers' Short Story Poll for The Sculptor (1992).
WINNER of the British Science Fiction Association award for The Ragthorn (1994) written with Robert Holdstock.
WINNER of the Interzone Magazine readers' Short Fiction Poll for The Ragthorn (1994) written with Robert Holdstock.
WINNER of The Lancashire County Library/National Westminster Bank Children's Book of the Year Award for the novel THE ELECTRIC KID, (1995).
WINNER of the Locus online 'Best SF, Fantasy and Horror of 2006' (Collections) for MOBY JACK AND OTHER TALL TALES.
WINNER of the Charles Whiting Award for Literature, 2008.
Runner up for the East Anglia 'Angel' Award for Fiction (Novel and short stories) for IN THE HOLLOW OF THE DEEP-SEA WAVE (1990).
Library Association's Carnegie Medal Commendation for the juvenile novel The Drowners (1992).
Shortlisted for British Science Fiction Association Award (Short Story): four different years for The Dissemblers (1983), Spiral Winds (1985), Hogfoot Right and Birdhands (1987), The Sculptor (1993).
Shortlisted for World Fantasy Award (Short Story) for Hogfoot Right and Birdhands (1987).
Shortlisted for World Fantasy Award (Short Story Collection) for THE SONGBIRDS OF PAIN (1984).
Shortlisted for the Grand Prix de L'Imaginaire for (Short Story, Novella, Novel): Abandonati (1992), The Sculptor (2000), The Ragthorn (2001).
Shortlisted for Smarties' Prize for The Drowners (1992).
Shortlisted for World Fantasy Award (Short Story Collection) for HOGFOOT RIGHT AND BIRDHANDS (1994).
Shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal for juvenile novel The Brontë Girls (1996).
Shortlisted for the Stockton Children's Book Prize for The Gargoyle (1998).
Shortlisted for the Stockton Children's Book Prize for Drummer Boy (1999).
Longlisted for the Booker Prize for Witchwater Country (1986).