BUDDING authors and poets in Bradford on Avon could get their work published in print with a competition to celebrate the best literary talent in the town.

Roger Jones, owner of the Ex Libris bookshop in The Shambles, has organised a week of literary events called the Bradford Book Bang which is scheduled for September 19.

As part of the festival there will be a chance to hear readings, meet authors and learn more about penning your own masterpiece.

Mr Jones said: "The idea came about when one of my customers was looking through the programme for the Bath Literary Festival and asked me why Bradford didn't have its own literary festival.

"The idea grew in my head and by the time I came into work the next day I had most of it planned out. I don't want it to be too much like your usual literary event though it's more hands on than that and most of the events depend on the audience participating and learning new skills for themselves."

As part of the festival, a writing competition will be held with short story, travel writing and poetry categories.

There are separate categories for children's stories and poetry and all the win-ning entries will be published in a book with each winner getting a free copy of the book to keep.

For details on how to enter the competition, people should contact Mr Jones at Ex Libris.

Entries must be in by July 31.