A FORMER teacher at Blackminster who became a prolific playwright will return to Evesham with his new production, The Humanitarians.

Peter Terson taught at Blackminster Secondary Modern School as Mr Patterson in the early 60s, which is when he started writing his first plays at his home in South Littleton.

He has since published and performed more than 50 stage plays, 15 works for television and a similar number of radio plays, but is looking forward to catching up with familiar faces in Evesham this weekend.

He said: "I wasn't a very good teacher and the boys saw through me but they were very supportive. I could name most of them to this day. They'll be middle-aged men now and I would be interested in meeting up with them again to see if they've weathered as well as I have!"

He left Blackminster when the Arts Council gave him a grant to be the resident playwright at the Victoria Theatre in Stoke on Trent.

His first two plays, A Night to Make the Angels Weep and The Mighty Reservoy, were both set in the Vale. Then in 1967 he wrote his best known play, Zigger Zagger, for the National Youth Theatre before becoming their principal playwright with numerous acclaimed productions throughout the 60s and 70s.

Among his many television productions were The Apprentices, The Fishing Party and Shakespeare or Bust.

The Humanitarians takes place at Evesham Arts Centre on Saturday and tickets are available from Evesham Book Centre in High Street, Evesham, on 01386 45567.