MARLBOROUGH LitFest is hoping to inspire a new breed of bookworms with a host of events just for youngsters.

Now in its sixth year, the festival taking place from 2-4 October, will feature for the first time a Big School Read to encourage young people to get stuck into fictional novels, as part of their educational outreach programme.

Year 8 students from St John’s Academy, Marlborough College, Pewsey Vale and St Francis School are all being invited to read Booktrust Teenage Prize-winning book Century by author Sarah Singleton

They will then have the chance to ask Ms Singleton, who lives in Chippenham and used to be a reporter for the Gazette, questions about her novel on Thursday, October 1, at The Theatre on the Hill, Marlborough.

Students at St John’s Academy are also being invited to get creative and film themselves reviewing their favourite books to be shown online and in the Town Hall next month.

There are a number of children’s competitions too, including a short ghost story writing one for Year 8 and 9 children based on the title ‘the face at the window’, as well as illustration and other writing competitions for youngsters aged eight to 11.

Nearly 300 primary school children will gather in Marlborough Town Hall on Friday, October 2, to hear new children’s author Jane Hardstaff, who went to St John’s, talk about her novels set in Tudor England – The Executioner’s Daughter and River Daughter.

There is also going to be a number of creative workshops from the likes of fantasy and sci-fi author Jasper Fforde, who will be holding a session for teenagers on how to get started in writing fantasy fiction at 3pm on Saturday, October 3 at The Green Dragon pub function room in Marlborough High Street.

Jan Williamson, chair of the LitFest, said: “Our aim is to encourage reading and a love of literature in all ages.

“We already run free events for local primary schools, but we wanted to include an event for older pupils and the success of The Big Town Read has encouraged us to launch a Big School Read this year.”

Tickets and programmes are available from The White Horse Bookshop, Marlborough High Street, or Pound Arts: 01249 701628 / 01249 712618. For further information go to: marlboroughlitfest.org