LEDBURY Poetry Festival has launched its preview of the 2018 celebration, after revealing news that last year's festival attracted record-breaking audiences.

The festival is now widely accepted as the biggest and most highly regarded poetry festival in the UK.

Festival manager Phillippa Slinger said: "The festival returns to the market town of Ledbury from June 29 to July 8, following on from last year’s 21st anniversary celebrations, which attracted record-breaking audiences of 15,000 people.

"And the festival returns with an extra feather in its cap, having won Best Community Festival at the prestigious Visit Herefordshire Awards 2017."

Ledbury Poetry Festival 2018 will welcome a host of poets and poetry lovers with confirmed names so far including: Jackie Kay, Hollie McNish, Wendy Cope, Owen Sheers, Sinead Morrissey, Liz Berry and Jane Commane.

The 2018 festival poet in residence is Zaffar Kunial.

His debut collection Us is published by Faber in July and he will curate individual events.

The festival this year is aiming for a strong international focus including an event with US poet Major Jackson and an event with German poet Jan Wagner.

Phillippa added: "Unshaken by Brexit, Versopolis, the innovative platform for emerging European poets will return and continue for a further four years, backed by funding from the EU Creative Europe Programme.

"Versopolis poets from across Europe will join three UK poets for a highlight event, before performing at other festivals across the continent."

The UK 2018 Versopolis poets are Sasha Dugdale, Sandeep Parmar and Welsh language poet Mererid Hopwood.

Refugee Tales will present an event including Patrick Gale, while poet Paul Henry and singer-songwriter Brian Briggs (Stornoway) will perform their new poetry and musical collaboration, The Glass Aisle.

Ledbury Poetry Festival 2018 will celebrate and showcase the poets connected with its programmes for new writers including: readings from the shortlist and winner of the Ledbury Forte Poetry Prize for second collections with Sandeep Parmar, Judy Brown, Emma Hammond, Sam Riviere, John Clegg and John McCullough.

The full Ledbury Poetry Festival 2018 line-up will be announced in May.

Further details at: www.poetry-festival.co.uk