A LITERARY event where authors are treated like pop stars is returning to schools this November.

The Youth Literature Festival, which was at risk of ending two years ago when funding stopped, is back for a fifth year.

The festival is a collaborative project co-ordinated by the headteachers and librarians of the town’s secondary schools and aims to encourage youngsters to discover the pleasures of reading.

This year’s line-up was announced by children from each school at the Central Library on Monday.

The highlight of the festival will be the popular comedy writing and performing double act the Two Steves. Steve Barlow and Steve Skidmore will take to the stage of the Wyvern Theatre to talk about the 70 books they have written. 

Also giving talks throughout the week-long festival will be Ash Dickinson, Swindon illustrator Fred Blunt, Liz Pichon and Marcus Sedgewick.

Julie Tridgell, headteacher of Nova Hreod school: said: “It is a brilliant event and it is all about encouraging learning and this enables the children to meet and connect with the authors who write their favourite books.

St Joseph’s pupil Ancy Lobo, 12, who was at the launch said “I think it is a good way for children to talk with authors and get ideas about writing. I am really looking forward to the week.”