POETS, storytellers, singers and circus performers all flocked to Lawn Woods yesterday morning to break the dawn on this year's Swindon Festival of Literature.

Dozens braved the demands of a 5.30am start to watch a magical spring sunrise over Park South, with the help of the traditional bagpipe-blowing and the sound of Jake Hi-Ho on the watering can, accompanied by an unexpected guest singer, a wailing Irish Wolfhound.

The Sun Arise Singers followed a stunning performance of flying fiery batons and hula hoops, which was rapidly succeeded by stories from Chris Park, tin-whistle playing from the Rainbow Blue fairy, and more music from Music Alive.

All was rounded off with bacon butties and May Pole dancing to celebrate the May Day bank holiday.

It was the second year in a row Michelle Thompson had started the May Day bank holiday with the Dawn Chorus.

"Lisa dragged me along to it last year and it was just such a lovely, wonderful experience that we decided to come back this year," she said.

"There is just something magical about it and there's just a great sense of community spirit.

"Afterwards we'll be going for breakfast before I go home and chill out with some friends."

The Dawn Chorus traditionally marks the start of the Swindon Festival of Literature, now in its 22nd year, with some of the festivals' brightest and most eccentric participants returning year on year to celebrate the launch, and once again festival director Matt Holland was overwhelmed with the response.

"We came here in darkness and as the dawn chorus of the birds intensified the sun broke through the clouds between the twin towers in Park South.

"And we looked out over sleeping East Swindon with Jake playing the watering can from the plinth and it was just wonderful.

"It is always reassuring when there are so many people who come along and they're happy and clapping and enjoying it.

"This does feel like a 22nd-year-old festival. People have been saying we're getting quite old now, but if you think about 22nd year-olds they're not old. Like them we;'re young and sexy and full of life."

This year there are more than 50 different events for everyone to enjoy.

“The Swindon Literature Festival is famous for getting some great names but also some good surprises and this is what we’ve done this year,” said Matt.

"We also have two particularly unusual events this year. One of them is boxing. We have a talk from Anna Whitham on her book Boxer Handsome, and also from Swindon's own Paddy Fitzpatrick.

"And we also have a talk about equality from Dann Dorling, who's written about roundabouts and fairness and is a professor fro the University of Oxford.

"We are also the only literature festival to have a Think Slam, where people are encouraged to stand up and say something interesting for a few minutes."

So far the festival has already sold out of the most popular events, with highlights including Patrick Gale, Jung Chang, an internationally-lauded author, broadcaster Sandi Toksvig and historian Dr Suzannah Lipscomb.

Other big names include impressionist Rory Bremmer and comedians and writers Helen Lederer and Tony Hawks.

The festival will run from May 4 to 16 at venues across Swindon, including the Wyvern Theatre, Arts Centre, Central Library and the festival’s headquarters at Lower Shaw Farm.

For more information about this year's Swindon Festival of Literature, to see the full programme or to book your place, visit www.swindonfestivalofliterature.co.uk

What's on: May 5

12.30pm: Event to replace Rick Edwards talk at the Arts Centre, Devizes Road, who withdrew from the festival for personal reasons at the last minute.

6.30pm: Poet Hilda Sheehan and pianist Paul Turner collaborate in a performance at the Arts Centre in Devizes Road. Tickets cost £7.

8pm: Carolyn Jess-Cooke, CL Taylor and Rowan Coleman talk on Writing Motherhood at the Arts Centre in Devizes Road. Tickets cost £7.

8pm: Sandi Toksvig talks on her book, Peas and Queues at the Wyvern Theatre. Tickets cost £10.