SWINDON'S literary festival could be the most successful yet, if programme sales are anything to go by.

This year's event runs from May 1 to 13 and the programmes, complete with a resplendent cockerel on the front cover, are flying off the shelves.

Festival organiser Matt Holland said: "We've printed 12,000 and they've virtually all gone. That's never happened before. Arts centres and libraries are regularly calling up wanting more.

"Something is happening and we'll find out in due course whether this translates into ticket sales."

Mr Holland runs Lower Shaw Farm in Swindon, where the cockerel was photographed.

"I was worried that avian flu might have put people off the programme. Five years ago we had to cancel three events because of foot and mouth.

"I am delighted but mystified. I just hope it's the content, not the cockerel, that is bringing it about."

None of the events have sold out yet but tickets are selling well, according to Mr Holland.

"The predictable events are selling well," he said.

"Nick Hornby, Will Self, Kate Adie, John Hegley, Ned Sherrin and Matthew Parris are the leaders but there are some surprising dark horses, for example Satish Kumar."

Mr Kumar is the editor of Resurgence, the ecology magazine.

Mr Holland said: "He does things like walking long distances with no money, relying on people's generosity to prove how wonderful people are.

"Prince Charles thinks he's very cool and it's lovely to see a man who's on the side of ecology doing very well."

Another of the surprise successes is the visit of James Geary to the Arts Centre on Tuesday, May 2.

He will be talking about his book We Are What We Think, which is a collection of aphorisms.

Mr Holland said: "This is rocking in Swindon people are booking for an evening of aphorism, which is fantastic."

Preparing For Paraguay, an evening of songs, poems and real Paraguayans on Friday, May 12, is another surprise success.

Mr Holland said: "I put it into the programme as a joke when the draw for the World Cup was made.

"I know a bit about the country and know some Paraguayan writers and musicians. They have a terrific World Cup record. I've been there a few times and I'm very fond of it. This will be a chance to introduce Swindonians to Paraguay and we'll have someone there with football expertise, who can tell us what to look out for. It's proving very popular."

For more information call 01793 771080 or visit the website www.swindonfestival ofliterature.co.uk