FIFTH Cheshire poet laureate Jo Bell is set to celebrate National Poetry Day on October 4 at Chester Literature Festival.

At an event to be held at County Hall, Chester – not the town hall as listed in the programme – Jo will demonstrate how she blends her brand of performance with poetry.

Jo’s event also marks the fifth anniversary of the county poet laureate scheme.

The second laureate event this year stars British poet laureate Andrew Motion.

A patron of the festival, he returns to the city for the Cheshire Prize for Literature on October 24 when he will give the first public reading of the winning poems and present the Chester and Ellesmere Port Schools’ Poetry Prize.

TICKETS for Chester Literature Festival can now be booked online, for the first time since the box office moved to Chester Racecourse.

‘We are delighted this is now possible,’ said festival administrator Katherine Seddon. ‘It obviously makes things a lot easier for many people and we are looking forward to new fans and old taking advantage of this great new facility.

‘For the events with Chester Writers, Chester Poets with Doris Corti and the drama premiere of Fake which are all in designated rooms in city centre pubs, it’s pay at the door only, no advance tickets.

‘For everything else, it’s now just a click of the mouse, or people can still book by phone or visit the box office in person.’

TOMORROW is the last day for the open-air book sale which traditionally heralds Chester Literature Festival. All proceeds go to the Hospice of the Good Shepherd and Book Aid International.

Set up on Chester’s Town Hall Square, the stall is open for business for the second and final time this year.

The Chester Literature Festival runs from October 1-31. For tickets and details, ring 01244 304 618 or visit www.chesterlitfest.org.uk.