Wigtown book festival programme revealed

The festival starts in Wigtown on 22 September and runs for 10 days

The line-up for a 10-day celebration of literature in Scotland's national book town has been revealed.

Organisers said the Wigtown Book Festival programme hoped to "stimulate, surprise and delight" visitors.

Among those taking part are Chris Brookmyre, Denise Mina, Judy Murray, Roy Hattersley, Gavin Esler, Jeremy Bowen and Philip Ardagh.

The book festival starts on Friday 22 September and runs until Sunday 1 October.

Artistic director Adrian Turpin said: "Wigtown is often called remote. This festival begs to differ.

"For all its geographical isolation, look carefully and you will find that Scotland's national book town has never been more connected to and engaged with the world."

He said this year's festival hoped to explore the "local and the global".

"As ever, we celebrate the writers on our doorstep and consider some of the great figures of this region's past, from Thomas Telford to Thomas Carlyle," he added.

"But we also look overseas, in particular to our European neighbours, because their stories are our stories, too.

"We hope that you enjoy these voices from elsewhere."

He also thanked local volunteers for their "energy, curiosity and warmth" which is the "lifeblood" of the event.