A new festival hosted by some literary heavyweights will be launched in Abergavenny this year.

Set up by local mum and marketing consultant Lucie Parkin, the inaugural festival aims to draw people together of all ages and backgrounds to get writing.

The festival will run practical sessions, creative writing seminars and lively discussion.

Special guests include speechwriter and author Simon Lancaster, Countryfile editor Fergus Collins and best-selling author D.D. Johnston.

Author and journalist Robert Penn is also on the list, with local writer Tyler Keevil and Welsh talent Mari Ellis Dunning in attendance to offer budding writers guidance and trade secrets.

Lucie, a keen writer, said, “I passionately believe that writing, as self-expression, to communicate information or to tell a story - should be for everyone. Whether you’re old or young, published writer or aspiring novelist or if you just enjoy writing for its own sake i hope there will be something at the festival to appeal to you.??“The aim is to involve the whole community and create a diverse event that will really capture the town’s imagination!”

The Aber Writing Fest will run from April 21-23 at the town’s Kings Arms hotel.