CHIPPING Campden's fifth literature festival has been hailed a success by organisers.

The six-day festival which ran from May 6 to May 11 celebrated the joy of reading, the art of writing, the beauty of books and the sharing of ideas and this year explored a War and Peace theme.

To mark a centenary since the outbreak of the First World War, the first evening was on the 'Catastrophe' of 1914 and the final evening ended in a besieged Paris in 1918.

Festival organiser Vicky Bennett said that she and her fellow committee members Mary Gray and Jane Clarke were “thrilled" at the way the festival ran after all their hard work.

"Advance tickets for all events sold well but people also flocked in on the door," she said. "The atmosphere at events in Chipping Campden School was enhanced by the Parent Teachers Association bar in the evenings, and their Saturday café with delicious cakes.

"Authors and festival goers mingled happily in the same relaxed space. Borzoi Bookshop’s stock went flying out of the door and Draycott Books also did a roaring trade."