Dust off your hat, wrap up warm and head up to Lawn Woods on Monday for the traditional Dawn Chorus, heralding the launch of Swindon Festival of Literature 2018.

As the sun rises over Swindon, join a party of revellers, writers and readers for the all-age, all-weather celebration from 5.30am, marking the start of the 25th festival, with music from Jake on watering can and Danny on pipes. Among the star attractions will be The Extollager Jon Cannon, with A Piece of Places and A Story of Stones, and Jacob Hi-Ho with his band of gravity defying, fire flinging, musical and dancing friends.

The Dawn Chorus is just the beginning of a fortnight of literary treats. The festival, from May 7 to May 19, has a stellar line-up of writers and poets, with events promising ideas and discussions, controversies and comedy.

Highlights include Afua Hirsch on race, identity and belonging at Swindon Arts Centre on May 9, and Booker prize-winning novelist and poet Ben Okri on dreams of our age, on May 9.

Youngsters will enjoy a fabulous Children and Families Day on May 13 at Lower Shaw Farm, with all sorts of fun and creative events, and fans of TS Eliot may like to try a performance of Four Quartets by Flora Pethybridge and Ashley Ramsden on May 14. Harriet Harman, Britain’s longest serving female MP, will talk about her book A Woman’s Work in conversation with Dan O’Brien on May 15, while anyone with a new idea can bring it to the table in Think Slam - a philosophy entertainment - on May 18.

For more details and to book, call 01793 524481 or visit swindontheatres.co.uk.