Record entries for Larkin contest

Almost 1,300 people have submitted work to the third Larkin and East Riding Poetry Competition, one of the most lucrative in the country with £2,000 in prize money at stake.

Winners of this year’s competition will be announced by poet Penelope Shuttle on June 9 at the third annual Bridlington Poetry Festival, which is being held at Sewerby Hall from June 8 to 10.

Five of the winners and runners- up will be reading their entries from 4.15pm.

Festival director Antony Dunn said: “There are a lot of poetry competitions run by organisations in the UK and it’s quite a wide field, so having inaugurated one three years ago and having seen it grow to such a size so quickly has taken us a bit by surprise and is very exciting.

“We have had some very good judges in the past and Penelope Shuttle is a very highly regarded poet who is judging it this year. She said she was blown away by the quality.”

Other poets taking part include Allison McVety, Julia Copus and John Wedgewood Clarke.