LITERATURE lovers have started to descend on Oxford for the city's annual celebration of words.

Oxford Literary Festival starts today with the first part of a nine-day programme, packed with acclaimed authors and celebrity names.

This morning bestselling children's author Anthony Horowitz chatted to an audience at the Sheldonian Theatre, and tonight leading biographer Claire Tomalin will speak at the same venue.

Oxford Mail:

Tomorrow Richard Dawkins and Judith Kerr are among stars on the line-up.

The festival takes place across the city centre, and usually draws in a diverse audience of all ages.

A key hub of the action is the Blackwell’s Marquee, which sits in the centre of the biggest festival venues – the Bodleian Library, Weston Library, Sheldonian Theatre and Oxford Martin School. 

Thousands of visitors are expected during the course of the festival, which runs until Sunday next week and features more than 200 events.

Among the most well-known speakers include celebrity chef Rick Stein and political commentator Robert Peston.

Other familiar faces set to speak include television presenter and gardener Monty Don, Oxford author Philip Pullman, radio broadcaster Nicholas Parsons, comedian Alexander Armstrong, musician Gary Kemp of Spandau Ballet fame, and American actress and author Ruby Wax.

Tickets can be purchased up to an hour before each event - for details and the full programme, visit the festival's website.