SOME of the literary world's brightest stars will be making their way to Durham for its annual literature festival.

A range of readings, workshops and performances are lined up for the five-week event. It begins at 6pm tomorrow with a storytelling session at the banqueting room in Crook Hall, Durham.

Highlights of the festival include a reading by author Patrick McCabe at the Gala Theatre, on Friday. The writer, who shot to fame with The Butcher Boy, will be sharing the stage with Tony White, author of Foxy-T.

A number of other celebrities are due to appear at the Gala Theatre. Comedian Alexei Sayle will be visiting on Sunday, October 4, to give a reading from his debut novel, Overtaken. On Monday, October 13, comic artist John Hegley, a regular on Radio 4 and author of eight volumes of verse, will be appearing. Terry Jones, will be giving a reading from his book, Who Murdered Chaucer? on Sunday, October 19.

Alison Lister, of Durham City Arts, said: "The festival is beginning to get a bit of a national profile, which is what we are working towards.

"The nice thing about it is we try and balance it out, so we have Patrick McCabe, who is a great writer, then the next reading is by Humphrey Carpenter, a biographer talking about Spike Milligan. They are very different readings, but still quality."

For a full list of events, contact Durham Literature Festival, Byland Lodge, Hawthorn Terrace, Durham on 0191-301 8245 or visit www.literaturefestival.co.uk