VALE and Cotswold folk are being invited to enter into the festive spirit early this year.

An evening of prose, poetry and comic verse is on offer at the Lifford Hall in Broadway next week.

Written and produced by the literary group On The Write Lines, A Christmas Cocktail will include festive favourites and musical contributions from two talented Broadway musicians, Frieda Jelfs and Anne Prater.

All the money raised from the evening will be used to support the Lifford Hall loan fund enabling further development of the building for community projects.

Willersey's Phil Simpson, who is a member of the writing group, said: "Our group first met at Evesham College in a writing class about three years ago.

"We got on so well together that we decided to form On The Write Lines and produce our own material to perform, really just for pleasure.

"We hope to have a good audience next Saturday with the Lifford Hall providing the festive atmosphere, with the audiences around tables with lighted candles."

Mr Simpson's fellow writing group performers are Sally Sealy, from Bidford, Helen Gray, from Badsey, Ros Humphries, from Pershore and Derrick Yeomans, from Astwood Bank. Tickets for A Christmas Cocktail, at £5 each, are available at Broadway post office, telephone 01386 853377 or from High Street newsagents, S & D Jelfs.