ORGANISERS of the Cheltenham Festival of Literature have announced the line-up for the spring event.

More than 60 literary names will be converging on the town for the event, which runs from April 20-22, and is largely centred on the Town Hall.

Highlights on the first day include lectures from Terry Waite and leading novelist Will Self. Basing his talk on his two books, Taken on Trust and Travels with a Primate, Mr Waite will be speaking about life before and after his time in captivity as a hostage in Beirut.

Mr Self will talk about his work and read from his recent book, How the Dead Live.

Saturday will bring two leading journalists to Cheltenham. Veteran foreign correspondent Sandy Gall will discuss his new book The Bushman of Southern Africa, while the former BBC political editor John Cole will talk about his new novel, A Clouded Peace, with World at One presenter Nick Clarke.

Also on Saturday, the novelist David Lodge will talk about his new work, Thinks, with broadcaster Christopher Cook. His comic story is set at the fictional University of Gloucester.

James Ellroy, author of the Oscar-winning LA Confidential, will discuss his writing and his latest novel The Cold Six Thousand, with broadcaster David Freeman in the early evening, followed by comedian Sandi Toksvig, who will also chat about her life and her latest book Flying Under Bridges.

On the Sunday, actor Antony Sher will talk to John Miller about his autobiography. Another famous actor giving a talk will be Timothy West, a familiar face to Malvern audiences, having appeared in Ibsen's The Master Builder at the Malvern Theatre in 1999.

A children's version of the festival will take place on Saturday and Sunday featuring, among other attractions, Spot the Dog and Peter Rabbit.

Brochures are available on 01242 237377 or for more details visit www.cheltenhamfestivals.co.uk.