Youth events at the Ilkley Literature Festival have been boosted with a £5,000 grant.

The major cash injection was awarded by West Yorkshire Grants, a committee which gives funding to non-profit making organisations and helps the festival every year.

David Porter, festival director, said: "Normally we get about £1,900 a year from them, but this time we got an extra £3,100. It's marvellous news and we're all really pleased.

"The grant is specifically in recognition of the work we are doing with young people in this year's festival and the work we have planned for future festivals.

"If we hadn't been awarded the grant the youth projects would have continued this year, but it would have affected next year's plans."

There is a strong emphasis on youth this year to mark the 25th anniversary celebrations. The festival also features Leeds poet Tony Harrison, politician Tony Benn and actress Mina Anwar of TV's Thin Blue Line among its attractions.

A year-long programme of events, entitled Beyond the Ilkley 25, has been arranged by festival outreach and marketing co-ordinator Amy Young.

This includes several creative workshops, featuring different writing techniques such as for sport, journalism and poetry, a production based on UFO tales of Ilkley Moor, comedy, and a musical season called PopTV.

"We have a new initiative this year to try to attract a new, younger audience to the festival and hopefully it will mean we can carry on with these kinds of events in the future," added Mr Porter.

The programme of youth events will culminate in November.

"There will be a special weekend called Stand Up and Deliver and this will give young people who have taken part in workshops or competitions throughout the year the chance to read their pieces of work, or perform, in public for the first time," said Mr Porter.

The first of these youth workshops was beginning today at the Crescent Hotel, Brook Street, Ilkley, led by established writers Sanjida O'Connell, Sophie Hannah, Patience Agabi and Tracy Ryan.

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