Will Self and Simon Armitage gave readings of new short stories to packed crowds at the Ilkley Literature festival.

The world-premiere performances were commissioned by organisers of the two-week festival and played at the town's Playhouse on Saturday night.

Self's dark tale was called The Five Swing Walk while Armitage read Enoch's Hammer about a pen with the knack of inflicting damage on people. Ali Smith and Kate Atkinson also gave world premieres of new works yesterday.

The festival's chairman Simon Ashberry said it was standing room only for the popular writers.

"It was wonderful to see so many people in Ilkley for such high-profile events,'' he said.

"The venue was so full for Will Self's reading that our director Dominic Gregory had to watch from the lighting booth!

"It was also fantastic news to hear VS Naipaul was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature just days after he had attended the opening night of our festival. We're now keeping our fingers crossed for Ali Smith who is shortlisted for the Booker Prize which is announced on Wednesday."

The festival runs until October 21 and Douglas Hurd, Melvyn Bragg and John Sargent are among guests due to appear this week.