MARLBOROUGH has been filled with 'loads of creative energy' claimed a LitFest organiser, as the town prepares for the 10th year of the annual literary weekend.

This year's LitFest, between September 26-29 promises to be one of the biggest yet, as renowned authors and poets, such as Carol Ann Duffy, David Baddiel and Cressida Cowell, as well as ambitious new faces take to the stages of Marlborough.

Ticket sales are going well and the LitFest committee are hoping for a bumper year of audiences visiting over 40 events around the town during the festival weekend.

Some talks have already sold out: Ian Rankin, Robert Harris, Cressida Cowell, Big Town Read author Raynor Winn, Mike Pitts, Toby Faber and Claire McGlasson, the creative writing workshop and the Rare Books event at Marlborough College, but tickets are still available for a range of author talks.

Surprisingly, David Baddiel has not yet sold out.

The children's author and comedian will be giving a talk at Marlborough College's Memorial Hall at 3pm, on September 29 and tickets can be bought online.

Also not yet sold out is social historian, Virginia Nicholson, who will be talking about 'women, sex, love and power in the 1960s’, Daisy Johnson,the youngest nominee in the Booker Prize’s history will be discussing her first novel, Everything Under.

New for LitFest is the Sunday morning round-up of the weekend papers in What the Papers Say, along with author and illustrator, Chris Riddell, who will be live cartooning.

LitFest committee chair, Genevieve Clarke, has spoken of her excitement for this year's weekend, as a literary fan as well as an organiser.

She said: "I can really feel Marlborough hotting up ahead of LitFest.

"There is loads of creative energy around the town at the moment.

"We have an amazing committee who work for us, and more than 100 volunteers who ensure everything goes smoothly.

"I think our festival is great because people get the opportunity to see and even meet their favourite authors."

There will also be a silent auction taking place throughout the weekend, with work from Chris Riddell on offer.

His drawing, which is on the front of this year's brochure will be shown in Town Hall, and visitors can put bids in throughout the weekend, with all proceeds going to Save the Children.