A THREE-day programme of events has been announced by the organisers or SCRIBE Literary Festival.

The not-for-profit festival will take place between Thursday, March 23 and Saturday, March 25, with a host of events lined up along the theme of crime writing.

As well as talks from successful authors and a forensics expert, the festival will offer various children’s activities and charity open-mic readings.

Initial scheduled for last autumn, a revamped three-day SCRIBE set-up was announced in December.

Bev Cope, action plan manager of event organisers Middlewich Vision, told the Guardian at the time that the condensed festival was being put together based on a number of feedback forms.

Thursday night sees two ticketed events, with authors Elizabeth Williams and then Matthew Hall giving talks on their work.

On Friday afternoon at 3.30pm, a free ‘whodunnit’ event for juniors takes place at Middlewich Library in Lewin Street, before author Sarah Rayne gives a talk from 7pm.

Dean Jones, senior forensic pathology manager at the Home Office, will then present ‘A Murder Case Study’ in the Victoria Hall at 8.15pm – an 18+ event costing £5.

Saturday – the day of the Makers Market in Lewin Street – sees a range of events including the ‘Crime Zone’ between noon and 6.30pm and a number of fundraising activities for St Luke’s Hospice from 10am to 3pm.

Authors Cath Staincliffe, Ian Hill-Smith and Philip Latham also feature in Saturday’s schedule, before short story competition winners are announced from 4.30pm in the Victoria Hall.

For more information on all the events – and to enter the competitions before the deadline of Monday, March 6, visit scribefest.org.

The festival is being supported by Cheshire East Council, Middlewich Vision, Action on Cancer, St Luke’s Hospice and Tesco.