SWINDON Festival of Literature got under way at the crack of dawn yesterday with bagpipe players, fire jugglers and story-tellers.

Around 200 people gathered at 5.30am to take in the spectacle as the sun rose over the clouds in Lawn Woods, Old Town.

To a backdrop of chattering birdsong, bagpipe player Danny Sturgeon got the two-week festival of words under way. Danny, 62, a green-keeper from Nythe, said: “It’s a pleasure to take part in an event that’s great for Swindon. It’s a cheerful, joyful and alive occasion.”

Swindon Samba teamed up with fire-eaters to entertain the crowd gathered at the vantage point above Lawn Park.

Percussionist Bridget Fitzsimmons, 47, a nurse from Old Town, said: “We are all from Swindon and we’re so proud to be part of such a beautiful event.

“We are a very diverse group of people and the this has brought us together so we could perform for our home town.

“It’s brilliant.”

Fire jugglers from Dr Schmooo’s Urban Circus provided one of the highlights as they stood on plinths to exchange flaming batons through the air while the drums played.

Jake Holland, 24, from West Swindon, is one half of the act.

He said: “It’s fantastic to take part. I was a bit jittery at first, I think I had a bit too much coffee.

“In fact, we should have been sponsored by a coffee company. But we’ve taken part every year so it’s nothing out the ordinary, it’s old hat to us.”

Other highlights from the Dawn Chorus included the Swindon Scratch Choir and story-teller The London Curator of Tales.

The festival, which is in its 19th year, will welcome the likes of BBC reporter John Simpson and charity leader Camila Batmanghelidjh to the town.

Director Matt Holland said: “It’s a unique event. No other festival of literature starts outside at dawn.

“The reason we did it is because they said this festival couldn’t be done in Swindon, so we decided to make it unusual.

“It’s a spring morning in May when the birds are using their song, so we thought ‘let us use our language to celebrate the dawn’.

“We tried it one year and 200 people turned up, and we haven’t looked back since then.

“There’s nothing like looking over Swindon facing east as the sun rises up behind the clouds.

“It’s a fabulous way to start the festival. Everything else is indoors, so it’s good to have the first day outside.

“People always come rain or shine, and a cup of tea always tastes better at dawn.” The festival runs until May 19. For more information, call 01793 466454 or visit www.swindonfestivalof literature.co.uk