POET laureate Andrew Motion is top of the bill at the second Frinton Literary Festival – an event which could make the genteel seaside town the next Hay-on-Wye.

POET laureate Andrew Motion is top of the bill at the second Frinton Literary Festival – an event which could make the genteel seaside town the next Hay-on-Wye.

Mr Motion, who earlier this month caused controversy by writing an anti-war poem against the Iraqi confrontation, attended the inaugural Frinton Literary Festival last year.

The poet, professor of creative writing at the University of East Anglia, in Norwich and well known for his biographies on Philip Larkin and Keats, will judge a poetry competition at Tendring Technology College. The winners will read their poems at the festival.

Sarah Harrison, the author of Cold Feet, the novel which was turned into the hit television series, will make an appearance, as will bestseller local author Barbara Erskine, writer of fantasy/historical novels such as Lady of Hay, Whispers in the Sand and Hiding from the Light.

There are two biographers: Michael Holroyd, famous for his book about George Bernard Shaw, which was televised, and Gladys Mary Coles, who is also an award-winning poet.

Two local new authors have been lined up, Augustine Nash, and Jojo Moyes, whose novel Sheltering Rain is set in an imaginary Frinton. She has been described as “the Rosamunde Pilcher of the next generation”.

A husband and wife team, Sean French and Nicci Gerrard, who together write psychological thrillers under the name Nicci French, have been booked. Their book, Killing Me Softly, is due to be made into a film.

The festival takes place from May 9 to May 11, at the Frinton Golf Club.

One of the organisers, Philomena Dwyer, said: “Last year's festival was highly successful. This year we have even more speakers, a literary lunch, a poetry competition and a new venue with splendid views over the sea.

“Each year we are hoping to reach out further and affect people all over East Anglia.”

For a brochure or tickets telephone 01255 851505 or e-mail billdavies@silby97.freeserve.co.uk. The box office is Caxton Books, 37 Connaught Avenue, Frinton.