The festival aims to celebrate 'cult writers and 'outlaw voices'

They are among the writers who next month will be heading to Dylan Thomas' old haunt of Laugharne.

Festival organisers are aiming to make it an annual event and, given the town's literary heritage, say they are "amazed" it has not been done before.

Venues range from the village hall to one of actor Neil Morrissey's pubs.

Festival director Richard Thomas said it had been seeing a documentary about Morrissey - the star of Men Behaving Badly star and voice of Bob The Builder - in Laugharne that gave him the idea for the weekend.

"Given the town's literary history, it's such an obvious idea so why has no one thought of it before?" he said.

THE LAUGHARNE LINE-UP Keith Allen Desmond Barry Joolz Denby Johnny Green Niall Griffiths Tessa Hadley Lynsey Hanley Peter Hook Richard James Nick Kent Deke Leonard Jackie Leven Patrick McCabe Howard Marks Bruce Reynolds Dan Rhodes Owen Sheers Meic Stevens Rachel Trezise (pictured above) JPR Williams John Williams Twin Town - cast reunion Source: The Laugharne Festival

"I've know Laugharne all my life but I'd never thought of it until I saw Neil Morrissey on television."

He said the aim of the festival was to celebrate Welsh literature as well as "cult writers" and "outlaw voices".

Actor Keith Allen - who played the Sheriff of Nottingham in the recent BBC One series of Robin Hood - will appear in the same venue as Kenfig Hill-born former drug smuggler Howard Marks. Allen may even be better known to some these days as the father of pop star Lily Allen.

The following day Peter Hook from New Order is due on stage just before Welsh rugby legend JPR Williams.

There are also efforts to reunite some of the cast of the cult Swansea-based movie Twin Town for a reading of the script on its 10th anniversary.

"We wanted it to be like walking into a book shop where you have the sports section, the music section the crime and the fiction," added Mr Thomas.

"We also wanted to keep it Welsh to a very large degree and I think we have achieved that.

"The idea is for them all to come down and have a good time."