COMEDY, poetry, stories and song will entertain visitors during a four-day festival in Cheshire in May.

Pam Ayres, Gyles Brandreth and Mark Radcliffe are among the headline turns for the Malfest Arts and Literary Festival in Malpas from May 14 to 17.

The festival opens with a literary lunch on May 14 and a talk by Nigel Daly about his new book 'The Lost Pre-Raphelite - The Story of Robert Bateman'.

He will be joined by Brian Vowles who will talk of the painstaking detective work needed to unravel the story, which started with the restoration of Bateman's former home Biddulph Old Hall, in Staffordshire.

After lunch on the Thursday Jessica Fellows, niece of Downton Abbey creator Julian, will give a talk called 'A year in the Life of Downton Abbey' about the show, how it is made and its characters.

The finale for the Thursday will be a performance by BBC TV and radio presenter Mark Radcliffe and his new band Galleon Blast.

On Friday the Bishop Heber School art exhibition opens and there will be a talk by Dickie Arbiter, former press secretary to the royal family, called 'On Duty with the Queen.

The Malpas Writers Group will read some of their work and Police Dog Hogan, an eight-piece London band, will perform in the evening.

On Saturday the finalists of The Peter Wheeler Short Story Competition will be announced, followed by The Children's Lit Quiz and there will be a performance of Malpas Tales at a Canter, loosely based on Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.

Gyles Brandreth brings his Edinburgh Fringe hit show 'Looking for Happiness' the festival on Saturday afternoon.

The Vale of Clwyd Singers will perform in the early evening and then Pam Ayres will appear on her 40th anniversary tour from 7.30pm.

On Sunday, the final day of the festival, there will be a last chance to see Malpas Tales at a Canter and afternoon tea with William Hanson and Diana Mather discussing 'Etiquette Experts on the Edge'.

For more information on venues, times and tickets visit malfest.com