LEDBURY Poetry Festival is well on the way for another record-breaking year, if brisk ticket sales are anything to go by.

Last year's festival, which was a 21st anniversary celebration, attracted record-breaking audiences of 15,000 people, with some events free and others ticketed.

Looking at sales so far, the festival is well on target for another red letter year.

Chloe Garner, the festival's artistic director said: "I am pleased to say we have sold two and a half thousand tickets so far, which is about on a par with this time last year.

"Our target is 4,500 tickets, so we are feeling positive that we can achieve this figure."

But Ms Garner added: "There are still tickets available for lots of brilliant events including actor and national treasure, Michael Palin performing poems by Adrian Mitchell (with songs by Sasha Mitchell and Pete Moser).

"Henry Normal, co-writer of The Royale Family, presents A Normal Imagination which uses poetry, storytelling and comedy to explore life’s big questions on Saturday 7 July.

"And with Benjamin Zephaniah stating ‘I can’t take my ears off her’, Kate Tempest describing her poetry as ‘welcoming, galvanising and beautiful’ and fans ranging from Robin Ince, Tim Minchen, to most of the UK’s midwives, Ted Hughes Award winner Hollie McNish is a poet whose readings are not to be missed. She will be joining us on Saturday 30 June to perform poems, read from and chat honestly and openly from her new collection, Plum which charts Hollie’s journey from childhood to attempted adulthood."

Ms Garner added: "Expect strong language as she talks about fruit and flesh, school discos, guilt, sex, politics, death, transformers and a lot of friendship. Sinéad Morrissey is reading from On Balance, her Forward-winning collection described by critics as “a breathtaking feat, blending fiction, memoir and history”. She will chat about her poetry with Virago founder Ursula Owen.

"And if music is your thing, then Paul Henry and musician Brian Briggs of Stornoway fame are performing their unique collaboration, The Glass Aisle."

Ledbury Poetry Festival takes place from June 29 to July 8.

Further details at: https://www.poetry-festival.co.uk/