A POPULAR Mersey Poet will headline this year's Wirral Bookfest.

Brian Patten will present The Accessible Muse at Bromborough Civic Hall on October 14.

It is a real coup for the Bookfest as the 69-year-old Liverpudlian wordsmith has not appeared in Wirral for some time.

Brian was one third of the Mersey Poets with the late Adrian Henri the much-loved Birkenhead painter and poet and Seaforth born Roger McGough.

Roger headlined the 2013 Bookfest and recently appeared at the Wirral Festival of Firsts.

Both poets told me how much they enjoy reading to Merseyside fans as did the late Adrian.

The Mersey Sound is one of the biggest selling poetry anthologies, selling more than 250,000 copies since it was published in 1967.

It has been an inspiration for children and adults ever since.

It is now a Penguin Classic.

Cllr Chris Meaden, Wirral's cabinet member for culture leisure and sport, said: "An appearance by one of the UK's most distinctive and legendary poets is a real achievement for Bookfest which gets better every year, and illustrates the value of libraries to he cultural life of Wirral.

"Brian played an important part in opening up poetry to new audiences in the 1960s and our libraries will have an important part to play in our pledge to extend cultural experiences to as many people as possible by 2020."

Brian Patten is part of a packed Bookfest taking place throughout October.

The Rhyme and Reason behind Brian Patten ...

He was born n Bootle and started out on a career in journalism at the Bootle Times.

He published his own poetry magazine, Underdog, which featured a certain Roger McGough and Adrian Henry, aspiring poets.

The threesome enjoyed huge success reading throughout the UK as the Mersey Poets and also solo ... The Everyman Theatre remains a spiritual home.

The Mersey Poets were given the Freedom of Liverpool at the Town Hall.

Adrian’s voice was heard over the speakers.

Brian and Roger when appearing together have an empty chair on stage in honour of their much-missed friend.

He went on a hugely successful tour with fellow writers Roger and Adrian, Andy Rogers and Willy Russell called Words on the Run.

Brian now lives in Devon but is much in demand as book editor and for his own books and readings..

His popular book of verse Gargling with Jelly is a childrens' classic.

At a show at Bluecoat Chambers celebrating the life and works of the Mersey Poets Brian stopped angrily in his tracks when a mobile phone went off during his reading and told the audience member to put it away ...

Warning please switch off your phone if you are lucky enough to get a ticket to see him!

Tickets for The Accessible Muse will be available from Saturday, August 1, from Bromborough Library land Wirral's four central libraries: Birkenhead, Wallasey, Bebington and West Kirby.