ORGANISERS of Swindon’s Festival of Literature could not have asked for better weather to reveal this year’s line-up as glorious sunshine beamed down on those who gathered.

Almost 100 people filled the courtyard of the Central Library in Regent Circus today to see the programme for the first time and hear this year’s line-up. There was a round of applause when the mix of UK, local and international authors attending were announced.

Politician Vince Cable, comedian Dom Joly, and former London mayor Ken Livingstone will join the likes of Brian Blessed and actress Isy Suttie, from Peep Show, at the festival from May 2-14.

“There is excitement,” organiser Matt Holland said. “When we started it, somebody said ‘literature is too long a word for Swindon and it won’t work,’ and they were proved completely wrong. The men, women and children came out in droves.”

Other guests include philosophers Roger Scruton and Kevin Dutton, bestselling thriller writer Joanne Harris and prizewinning novelist and poet Louis de Bernieres.

There will also be numerous other thought-provoking talks, discussions, readings and storytelling at theatres, art venues, libraries, parks, museums, galleries and even a former cowshed in Swindon. Children can get in on the act too with the family days at Lower Shaw Farm.

Tickets went on sale at midday and Matt issued a warning to Swindonians to get their tickets quick, as there has already been interest at 8.30am that morning from people in Birmingham.

“People of Swindon do not be beaten by people of Birmingham,” he joked.

This year there will be a lecture in memory of former Swindon resident and loyal festival supporter Kaye Franklin on the role of literature in life.

Guitarist Richard Durrant will also talk about how his career started when a Brighton council bus took him to Paraguay. He teased at the launch there was a Swindon link.

Matt added: “Why does the festival work so amazingly well? I do not know. Each year it seems to become more and more popular. People in Swindon like events that discuss and explore things."

A colourful wall of butterflies was also unveiled in the children’s corner of the library created by artist Gordon Dickinson and decorated by more than 500 residents.

Tickets for the festival can be bought by calling the box office on (01793) 771080 or online at swindontheatres.co.uk. Alternatively they can also be bought from the Wyvern Theatre and Arts Centre.