HUNDREDS of visitors visited Morwellham Quay Literary Festival and Book Fair on Sunday to listen to three local poets and three published authors who explained how the West Country had influenced their lives and inspired them to write and publish books and poems. The River Tamar was also brought to life in the many entries for the short story and poetry competition sent in by local people from age eight up to middle-age. Prizes were awarded to the seven winners by author Tania Crosse and the Bard of Exeter, Daniel Haynes. Poet Beverly Beck in the adult category described the Tamar 'lying still and quiet, then a confetti of light reveals her beauty'. In the aged eight and under category first prize winner, Lawrence Charrett-Dykes, spoke of 'Memories of fun and echoes of trade gone by', while Rebecca Mansell's story, winner for the adult short story competition, 'Entwined in Time' spoke of love and a lost copper bracelet fished out of the river. Hebe Stone, joint first prize winner for the aged nine to eleven category wrote about the 'sparkling ripples, glistening and bobbing', and Amy Rebecca Knight referred to the Tamar Valley as a 'magical place'. Katie Ledger's story of child labour ended with a 'slip and fall into a deep swirling expanse of sapphire and foam' and Archie Chalk, aged eight, had everyone laughing about the 'thin, hairy and drunk old sailor who looked like a broad bean'! Book stalls were selling old, rare and new books, The Tavistock Local History Society had an array of local books for sale while the Tavistock Library promoted their services. It was a wonderful day with memories of days gone by and tales of ghosts and fortunes lost and found.