DORCHESTER Literary Festival will get off to a smashing start tomorrow.

Judy Murray, the world's best known tennis mum, will be at the Thomas Hardye School tomorrow evening discussing what it's liek to be mum to champions Andy and Jamie Murry.

The 2018 Dorchester Literary Festival was launched in Dukes Gallery, Dorchester, and was attended by many of Dorset’s most established writers.

Best-selling historical author, Janet Gleeson co-founded the Festival in 2015 with Paul Atterbury, known for his books and appearances on The Antiques Roadshow.

In the first year the festival attracted around 3,000 people and this year 2,000 tickets have already been sold.

This year with bigger venues being used, Janet hopes to see a substantial increase in final numbers.

"I’m so thrilled that it is now an established event in the Dorchester calendar,’ said Janet. ‘Once again this year, we’ve been complimented on the breadth of writers we’re featuring, speaking on topics ranging from food foraging, the suffragette movement, living healthily to 101 and seeking the abominable snowman.’

Minette Walters said: "There’s such a great selection of authors this year. None will disappoint, but I'm particularly looking forward to talking with Mark Billingham and Lisa Jewel, two crime writers from different sub-genres who are united in writing cracking good reads!’

Dorchester Literary Festival is from tomorrow, October 17 until Sunday, October 21. Tickets for every event cost £10 and can be purchased on line at dorchesterliteraryfestival.com or through the Tourist Information Centre, based in Dorchester Library.