DELVE into the minds of celebrated authors while honing your own writing skills at this year's Cheltenham Festival of Literature from Friday to Sunday, April 2-4.

Get your favourite book signed by the best new novelists or share your views about the world of spin with Martin Sixsmith & Michael Shea, with top-price tickets for some events as low as £4.

Stories from Raymond Briggs or former Children's Laureate Anne Fine are guaranteed to keep the family entertained, while Rageh Omaar aims to inspire all with tales of his six years as BBC correspondent in Iraq.

Novelist and screenwriter Frederic Raphael will be discussing his work on films such as Darling and Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut, while reggae fans will have a field day with an exclusive visit from Rita Marley, discussing her biography about legendary husband Bob.

The programme also includes a Shakespearean performance by the newly appointed president of Cheltenham Arts Festivals, Dame Judi Dench, at the new Centaur at Cheltenham Racecourse.

Meanwhile, Annabel Goldsmith, joined by historian Andrew Roberts, will look at her extraordinary life at the heart of unconventional aristocracy in the swinging 60s amid her famous family, Imran and Jemima Khan and her irrepressible late husband-- Sir James Goldsmith.

Roberts will also debate, "What if Guy Fawkes hadn't been caught?" or "If Al Gore had been president on 9/11?"

Finally, each day will end with entertainment in the free late-night Festival Clubs and the famous poetry slam on Sunday.

For more information call 01242 237377.