AN international line-up of poets will be attending the fourth Peterloo Poets Festival in Calstock this weekend.

The two-day event will be launched tomorrow (Friday, September 6) by Cornish poet Ann Alexander.

Ann worked as an advertising copywriter in London for many years, and uses the adman's spare, accessible language to take readers on a disturbing journey through the 'dark alleys' of the world and the heart.

Facing Demons, her first collection of poetry, was published this year by Peterloo Poets, and contains works which took third prize in last year's open poetry competition at the festival.

Also appearing on the first day are Valerie Laws and Michael Laskey. Valerie is a prize-winning poet often published in magazines and anthologies. Moonbathing, published by Peterloo Poets, is the first full volume of her own poetry.

Michael Laskey was the founder and co-ordinator of the highly successful Aldeburgh Poetry Festival.

His first full collection, Thinking of Happiness, (Peterloo Poets, 1991) was a Poetry Book Society Recommendation, as was his more recent collection The Tightrope Wedding.

The international flavour comes to the fore on Saturday (September 7), when readings will be given by Landeg White, born in Wales, but now living in Portugal, who has five published collections under his belt, and the internationally-acclaimed Canadian poet Gary Geddes.

Gary's fifteenth book Active Trading features selected earlier poems including some from his award-winning 1985 collection, The Terracotta Army.

The Peterloo Poets festival takes place in the Old Chapel, Sand Lane, Calstock, with a 7.30pm start. For tickets, telephone 01822 833473.