MICHAEL Morpurgo, the UK Children's Laureate with more than 90 books to his credit, leads a team of writers to Ludlow next week for the second Marches Feast of Words Festival.

This year's focus is on bringing well-known authors to children, young people and families, with wildlife and dinosaurs a special theme.

Morpurgo opens the Feast at Ludlow Assembly Rooms on October 10 at 7pm to talk about his work and to sign his latest book, Private Peaceful.

Shoo Rayner, author and illustrator of the Ginger Ninja and Dark Claw series, is at Ludlow Library the following morning from 10.30am with a family show called Rock-a-Doodle-Do!

Nick Arnold, writer of the award-winning Horrible Science Books brings his own family show to the Assembly Rooms at 2.30pm on October 12. Highlights will include how to escape from a tiger, how a snake squeezes its victims and how to dive with dolphins.

To round off the day, the Assembly Rooms is showing Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life at 7.30pm.