DETERMINED that the Swindon Festival of Literature would have a rather unique launch event, festival organiser Matt Holland tabled a rather unusual idea 23 years ago.

And despite the nay-sayers, hundreds of people are once again expected to gather at Lawn Woods on Monday morning before the crack of dawn to watch the sun rise over the town.

Kicking off from 5.30am there will be with pipers, singers, dancers, poets, performers, and general May morning merriment – as well as a hot breakfast on offer to get festival goers primed ready for the fortnight’s events.

And festival organiser Matt Holland has once again managed to secure some show-stopping names to bring their literary works to life during a number of events staged around the town, along with some less-well-known writers poised for best-seller success.

Headline talks from Brian Blessed and Ken Livingstone have already sold out.

Ticket sales are strong for other names such as author-politician Vince Cable, author-prankster Dom Joly, social commentator and thinker Cristina Odone, philosophers Roger Scruton and Kevin Dutton, literary journeyman D J Taylor, comedienne Isy Suttie and prizewinning novelist and poet Louis de Bernieres who will be in town to talk about his newest book, The Dust that Falls from Dreams.

Mr Holland said it was truly remarkable that the festival had grown over the years to become the landmark annual event that it was.

He said: “It is so reassuring that we can hold this festival in Swindon and people flock to it. There is an excitement and a buzz to it that is tremendously exciting.

“When we started the festival we needed to make an impression and I noticed that most other festivals started with a glass of wine and a celebrity in a nice hotel. And I thought, why not start outside and see the sun rise over the town?

"I did it for a laugh and one of my sponsors said no-one would come. That first year 250 people came and we haven’t looked back since. It is wonderful to do something different.”

Joining the line-up of this year’s festival are Lucy Jones who will be discussing our controversial relationships with foxes and asking whether they are our friends or foes.

Bestselling novelist Joanne Harris, of Chocolat fame, will unveil her latest work, Different Class during the festival while in the first week of the festival as well as former BBC Radio Wiltshire presenter turned novelist Alison Bruce who will be talking about her latest crime thriller, The Promise.

Mr Holland said: “I am very pleased that the big names see fit to come to Swindon when they have been asked. But I am also particularly pleased about unheralded, unknown writers that I have searched out who are also selling out – it just shows that Swindon really is interested in literature and the festival. I really do feel very excited.”

For the full programme or further information about the festival call 01793 771080, or visit www.swindonfestivalofliterature.co.uk