What would have been on of the country's only live literary festivals has been cancelled.

The Bridport Literary Festival director, Tanya Bruce-Lockhart, and her team are greatly disappointed and dismayed that this year's BridLit has had to be cancelled due to the latest lockdown.

She said: "It was always our intention to bring a 'live' programme of events to audiences and supporters of BridLit in order for everyone to have something to look forward to. It was never our intention to have a digital option.

"Our programme of events for Wednesday of this week is unencumbered and so we look forward to those who have tickets for Barney White-Spunner, Raynor Winn and Robert Mccrum. The writers we have had to stand down are eager to be with us on another occasion and we must look to the future with optimism."

However, Jackanory-style storytelling for children will still go ahead.

From November 3 to 7 a short film of a local personality reading a children's story will be uploaded to the website, bridlit.com.

Tanya Bruce-Lockhart, BridLit director, said: "BridLit Kids are in for a treat, some of our favourite local authors are going to read every evening from their favourite books - perfect for children of all ages and their families.

"We hope to continue with these BridLit tales throughout the year, so keep checking our website."

The simple, Jackanory-style format of a good story well told should appeal to people of all ages. Readers include Billy Bragg, Charlie Fuge, Susannah Hubbard, Kim Squirrell and Antonia Squire from The Bookshop in South Street, where all the BridLit Kids books will be available.

Joanna Jacobson, from the BridLit team, said: ''Our readers bring such warmth and personality to their chosen stories that hopefully they will be enjoyed by everyone - young and old."

Covid-19 prompted the BridLit's kid team to go online with their events, which includes classes for local primary schools. It was to have been held at Bridport Arts Centre but will now be put online for teachers to use as part of lessons.

Joanna added: "We are very excited about this opportunity, as it can reach a greater age range, those who are home schooling and who wants to take part."

The online class will focus on writing a nature journal, inspired by Dara McAnulty's award-winning book, Diary of a Young Naturalist, published by Little Toller Books.

"As a young writer, Dara shows us how important it is to find and use your voice, whatever your age, and we want to encourage children and young people to get writing and find value in what they have to say," Joanna said.

Storyteller Martin Maudsley and Sarah Acton from Black Ven Poetry will guide children and young writers to create a diary based on their observations of everyday experiences, their relationship with nature and the natural world and the people around them.

It is hoped the results will be published on the bridlit.com website.

Joanna added: "Any child or young person is welcome to send in their work for us to look at and put up. Take a photograph of your diary or type up the entries you like best and send them to [email protected]."

Also online is local artist Nicola Leader's take on the Hundred Acre Wood in lockdown, with a humorous look at how Pooh and Piglet might have coped living with the pandemic.

Already up on the website are the newly-conceived BridLit Shots, small films giving the literary audience an insight into two of the speakers appearing at the festival. Nature writer Raynor Winn and stonemason Andrew Ziminski's books are rooted in the landscapes of the South West.

Check out bridlit.com for more information.