FORGET mushy peas, fish and chip fans in Dorchester are being served up their favourite food with a side order of poetry.

Hungry residents are being served food for the spirit and mind with the launch of special poetry menus which are being displayed inrestaurants, cafes and pubs all over the county.

The special menus are being displayed on tables as part of Blah di Blah, Dorset's festival of words and voices, and contain poems or literary morsels.

They are designed to take literature to new audiences and feed the minds of customers waiting for their food.

The Blah di Blah Poetry Menus feature poems by Dorset-based poets such as Paul Hyland, Elsa Corbluth and Zenobia Venner, as well as writers from outside the county.

Co-ordinator Ros Fry said: "I'm one of those people who reads whatever is on the table. I must have read the cereal box a million times! I thought it would be fun to have something more interesting."

The menus are being placed at a variety of venues including Damer's Restaurant at Dorset County Hospital and the Sea Palace in Weymouth. Some of the poets took to the streets yesterday to deliver their Poetry Menus to CJ's fish and chip shop, Dorchester.