BUDDING young poets from the Ledbury area were out in force on Friday afternoon, for the Out Loud event at Ledbury's Community Hall.

A packed hall heard poems written by local primary-age children. All the pupils had been inspired by visits to their schools by a team of poets supplied by the Ledbury Poetry Festival.

Particularly popular on the day was the critical If Tony Blair Left Downing Street, by Joe Marsh, of Eastnor Primary.

He also displayed a good turn of phrase with Spring Valiant.

Laurence Innes and Corey Manns, both raised the hairs on the back of the neck, and one or two smiles, with poems on the theme of The Classroom at Night.

More lyrical musings came from Caitlin Clark, of Much Marcle Primary School, who wrote of "benches engulfed in the shade of a tree".

Sam Cotton, also of Much Marcle Primary, obviously has a fine literary ear and also very acute hearing.

He wrote: "I feel a family of moles/beneath the ground/I feel them pass/I feel the old man tap his cane..."

The poets in residence who have been helping scores of youngsters to find their own poetic voices include Julie Boden, Roshan Doug, Roz Goddard, Brian Moses and Philip Wells.