Book lovers, there is only one place you need to be this October.

Tickets are now on sale for the ever-popular Dorchester Literary Festival.

The five-day festival will run from Wednesday, October 18 until Sunday, October 22 at various venues around the county town - with some new appearances this year.

The festival will be bringing acclaimed authors to enlighten and amaze the town.

Dorchester and the surrounding dramatic coastal scenery have inspired many of Britain’s best-loved writers, including Thomas Hardy and patron of the festival, Tracy Chevalier.

Janet Gleeson, festival director, said ticket sales have got off to a "flying start".

She said: "We've had a great response to all the big names.

"The remarkable Iby Knill, a holocaust survivor, has had one of the biggest responses. She will be in conversation with Judi Spiers on the Thursday.

"We knew she would be a popular choice at the festival so we are delighted she could come.

"We've also had a strong response to Henry Blofeld and Tracy Chevalier - but everything across the board is doing really well.

"It's also the 40th anniversary of Antiques Roadshow so Paul Atterbury will be interviewed by one of his co-presenters, Hilary Kay. We are really privileged to have this event."

Janet added: "We also have some new venues for 2017 in efforts to take on a bigger audience. There will be some talks at the Dorford Centre and at the United Church on South Street.

"The whole event is just getting bigger and better so we thought we should expand our venues and see what happens."

Other names attending the festival include crime writers Minette Walters and Val McDermid, the eminent biographer A N Wilson, comedian Christopher Biggins, foreign correspondent Fergal Keane, best-selling royal biographer Penny Junor, acclaimed poet and critic Tom Paulin, travel expert Alastair Sawday, best selling historians Ian Mortimer and Katie Hickman, eminent heart surgeon Stephen Westaby and award-winning writer Adam Nicolson.