BIG name authors including Inspector Morse creator Colin Dexter have backed a new literary festival in Chipping Norton.

More than 50 authors will speak at the event, which will take place across six venues in the town between April 20 and 22.

The festival, called ChipLitFest, will include writing workshops, talks and panel discussions from authors, poetry slams and book signings.

Organisers said it was the “last piece in the puzzle” for Chipping Norton, which already has a thriving food and music festival.

Mr Dexter said: “Literary festivals are a wonderful way of perpetrating the interest in books.

“Reading, whether it’s Desperate Dan and The Dandy or crime novels and how many people I murdered in the streets of Oxford, is one of the greatest delights that one can partake in.”

Chick lit author Jill Mansell, who will also be appearing at the festival, said: “I’m thrilled to bits to be a part of it and I can’t wait. It’s so nice to meet other authors and then to meet people who like your books as well.

“Literary festivals bring like-minded people together, and anything that gets people taking about books is great. If people like books, it will be a lovely way to spend a couple of days.”

The festival will also feature authors Joanna Trollope, Katie Fforde, Mark Billingham and Sir Andrew Motion speaking at venues including Chipping Norton Theatre, the town hall and Jaffé & Neale Bookshop and Café.

Festival director Clare Mackintosh said: “Chipping Norton has a brilliant food and music festival and it has all sorts of different events during the calendar.

“We felt a literary festival made perfect sense – it’s the last piece of the puzzle for the town. I don’t think you can celebrate the written word too much.”

She said the festival idea came after she spoke to friends at West Oxfordshire Writers, a creative writing group that meets twice-monthly in the town.

She said: “I’ve never organised anything on quite this scale before and it has slightly run away with me.

“I don’t think any of us planned this – we’ve got more than 50 authors and some really big names – but we have had a phenomenal response so far.

“I would like people to leave the festival inspired either to read more or to write more.”

For more information or to book tickets, call the theatre box office on 01608 642350 or visit chiplitfest.com