THE STAGE is set for a record-breaking Ledbury Poetry Festival, with an unprecedented number of events already sold out in a competitive rush for tickets.

While it is not usual for a handful of events to be sold out at this stage, this year there are 14 events already sold out, including some of the biggest draws such as Michael Palin, Shirley Williams and the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams.

With the ten day festival set to open on Friday, July 3, the festival's management team members are bracing themselves to see all records tumble.

New festival manager, Phillippa Slinger said: "People are telling us it’s an outstanding programme, and the best one yet; and this is certainly born out by how quickly the tickets have sold.

"John Burnside the poet-in-residence also proved hugely popular. All his workshops were sold out in the first week."

Last year, the festival sold around 4000 tickets, which was one of the vintage years, and 5000 tickets were sold in 2010, another vintage year.

But the festival's artistic director, Chloe Garner, is in no doubt that these totals are set to be exceeded in 2015.

She said: "Many other events are just about to sell-out. Events such as Dangerous Women featuring actresses Francesca Annis, Tanya Moodie and Juliet Stevenson on Friday July 3, and the punk poet John Cooper Clarke who closes the Festival on Sunday July 12, are all selling very quickly."

The festival has also secured something of a coup this year.

Ms Garner said: "One of our performers, Simon Armitage, has just been named Oxford University’s professor of poetry, a prestigious post established in 1708 and second only in prestige to the poet laureate."

Many of the festival's events are free and do not require a ticket, and so the ten day celebration of the written word attracts far more people to the town's streets than ticket sales reveal.

Ledbury's mayor, Cllr Annette Crowe, who runs a jewellery shop on the Homend said: "I have definitely noted a boost in trade during the festival, because there are a lot more people walking around the town centre and mooching in. The festival is good for everyone."

She added: "It gets stronger and stronger from year to year, with all those high profile guest readers. It is an asset for the town, and all the hard work that goes into getting it all together is amazing."

The Literary Festivals web site describes the Ledbury Poetry Festival as "the largest poetry festival in the country, offering a mad mix of eclectic, eccentric and exciting music and poetry events".

The Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy, has described it as "a rare and genuine joining of place, poetry and people."

The box office number is 01531 636232 and its email address is boxoffice@poetry-festival.co.uk

Further details on https://poetry-festival.cloudvenue.co.uk/home