One of Britian's best-loved poets, Roger McGough, will appearing at Colwall next month.

The host of Radio 4s Poetry Pleas and occasional edition of Home Truths, will be reading from his extensive body of work at the village hall on Saturday, April 8.

McGough recently celebrated his 40th Edinburgh Fringe in the company of John Dowie, Willy Russell, Carol Ann Duffy, Neil Innes, John Hegley and other friends.

He has been awarded the OBE and was honoured with the freedom of the City of Liverpool.

McGough's career as a poet began in the 1960s when, together with Brian Patten and the late Adrian Henri, he contributed to the best-selling modern poetry collection The Mersey Sound.

He subsequently teamed up with John Gorman and Mike McCartney as The Scaffold, who produced chart hits such as Lily The Pink and Thank U Very Much.

He then rounded up Patten, Gorman and McCartney, added Andy Roberts, Zoot Money and Neil Innes to form the surreal and splendid Grimms, who terrorised the college and club circuit for some time.

All this somehow led to the creation of an accumulated body of books, broadcasts and gigs, with the result that McGough is now acclaimed as the man who has done most to breathe life into poetry and poetry into life.

His latest collection, Everyday Eclipses, shamelessly proffers advice to Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Jimi Hendrix and rock 'n' rollers of all ages. It also encompasses recollections of childhood, killer ducks, alien moths, regrets, insecurities and surrealism out on the town.

Tickets for the Colwall gig, which will be recorded for a CD, are £11, available onn 01684 540366 or at adrian @uktouring.org.uk.