Comic poet John Hegley returned to his old stamping ground last night to kick off the annual Bradford Book Festival.

Funnyman John, pictured, who studied at Bradford University, read a selection of his work at Bradford Central Library to mark the beginning of the month-long literary event.

He said: "I've always loved Bradford - right from the moment I came here to watch Luton Town play.

"I remember coming up and seeing football studs that you pushed into your shoes instead of proper boots. That was literally down to earth."

He highlighted how Bradford enjoyed a strong literary tradition as well as having a reputation as a great "theatre city".

After his early football outings to the city, John admits the initial lure which brought him back to study was the title of his degree course - European Literature and the History of Ideas. "It sounded really flash," he said. "And that was only half of it. There was sociology as well."

After completing his degree, John felt so at home he stayed another year, even though four months of those were spent on the dole.

"I used this library a great deal over that time and I have some very happy memories of it. It was here that I read my first football poetry book," he said.