DAWN breaks over the 25th Swindon Festival of Literature today.

A host of speakers ranging from political figures to poets have been brought together by organiser Matt Holland for two weeks of talks.

He said interest in the event, which he founded with antiquarian book auctioneer Dominic Winter, was greater than ever.

“There's a lot of that interest is centred on women writers and speakers. Two of them, Gill Sims, author of Why Mummy Drinks and Pam Ayres with her new book on hedgehogs, were the first to sell out," he said.

“Harriet Harman, with her book A Woman’s Work, Judy Murray with Knowing the Score, Helen Pankhurst with Deeds Not Words, Camila Batmanghelidjh with her new book on children's care, and Louise Jordan with her one-woman show No Petticoats Here are all hot on their heels.”

He added: “This extra interest in women authors and speakers seems entirely fitting in this 100th year since some women got the vote.”

Hardy festival followers prepared to be up before the larks this morning for the launch of the event, with storytelling, fire flinging and dance at the dawn chorus.

And energetic folk will be limbering up for a 5k Freedom Run at Lydiard Park and this afternoon Olympic runner medallist Jo Pavey, who won a 10,000m gold medal at the 2014 European Championships when she was 40 – just 10 months after having a baby – will talk about why she runs.

Lydiard forms the backdrop and the inspiration for a story walk led by Cat Weatherill and the wild animals that feature in the books of celebrated local author Richard Jefferies can be discovered during a family-friendly morning at the Richard Jefferies Museum.

Fellow author and ecologist Hugh Warwick carries on the countryside theme in the evening with a discussion about the ways humans affect the landscape and the habitats it creates for wildlife.

Tomorrow broadcaster and professor of sound Trevor Cox asks how did the Neanderthals communicate and what part a person’s voice plays in who they are or whether accent matters.

The 35th anniversary of the fanzine Limelight and the 40th anniversary of Swindon band XTC provide the subject matter for author and theatre critic Mark Fisher, philosopher A C Grayling talks about democracy and author Gill Sims will talk about the runaway success of her online Peter and Jane parodies in Why Mummy Drinks.

Other highlights in the programme include broadcaster and lawyer Afua Hirsch discussing everyday racism, Booker Prize-winning novelist Ben Okri, ex-Newsnight journalist John Tusa and folk music royalty Peggy Seeger.

For information and a full programme, visit swindonfestivalofliterature.co.uk