HOUSEHOLD names from the world of poetry, travel writing, politics and drama line up at this year's Cheltenham Festival of Literature.

The brochure for the festival, from October 13-22, has now been published with details of more than 200 events, primarily centred on the Town Hall and Everyman Theatre.

Of immediate local interest is a discussion on the work of one of the Dymock Poets, the American Robert Frost, whose former home in the village was recently sold. His grand-daughter Lesley Lee will be joined by poet Sean Street and biographer Jan Marsh at the Town Hall on Wednesday, October 18, at 10am.

The Town Hall will also be the start off point for a literary coach tour, which will take in Ledbury and the Malvern Hills, as well as Bredon Hill and the Forest of Dean, on October 14.

Linda Hart, chairman of the Friends of the Dymock Poets, will be leading a Malvern Literary Walk on October 21, taking in names like Frost, William Langland, Elizabeth Barrett-Browning and John Masefield.

There are also several names familiar to local audiences including the Poet Laureate Andrew Motion, who appeared at the Ledbury Poetry Festival in 1998, Prunella Scales, who was at the Ledbury Poetry Festival this year and has also appeared at the Malvern Theatres.

Among the highlights are historian Michael Wood (Friday, October 13), best known for his In Search Of ... TV series, who will be examining English historical figures from Robin Hood to Alfred the Great; veteran actor Sir John Mills (Sunday, October 15) on his career and latest book Still Memories; Shadow Home Secretary Ann Widdecombe (Monday, October 16) on her political work and novel The Clematis Tree; the stars of the surreal BBC cult series The League of Gentlemen on their new book A Local Book for Local People (Wednesday, October 18); and Rory Bremner stalwarts John Bird and John Fortune discuss 60's satire (Friday, October 20).

On Saturday, October 21, historian David Starkey, whose acclaimed account of the life of Elizabeth I was recently shown on television, discusses the Virgin Queen, Poet Laureate Andrew Motion explores the relationship between writer, landscape and language and there is the engaging double bill of clockwork radio inventor Trevor Baylis and BBC science guru Adam Hart-Davis on bringing inventions to life.

Copies of the brochure are available on 01242 237377.