THE dates are set for the fourth Purbeck Literary Festival - and this year's event has a 'wild' theme.

Hundreds of people have attended previous festivals, which have included a range of special events at venues across the district.

For 2017 there will be a change to the usual format - with a main festival base at Durlston Castle, near Swanage.

Festival founder Emma Fernandez said: "Britain has been captivated by the outdoors and adventure, so it seemed a perfect choice for this year's theme.

"Purbeck, in Dorset, is at the heart of some of the most beautiful and rare coast and countryside in the UK so we are incorporating adventure, romance, travel and the outdoors in our programme."

Attractions for 2017 will include an appearance by writer Paul Stickland, author of the children's book Dinosaur Roar.

On the Durlston Castle location, Emma said: "We still have some other venues on board, as well as schools, libraries, and our usual headline tea at the Grand Hotel, but we felt it important to find somewhere we could base ourselves, which hopefully work well for the future.

"It is a beautiful space with a fascinating history and also has many literary associations."

During the week authors MG Leonard, Nick Frith and travel writer Nick Hunt will be appearing.

Other attractions include storyteller Martin Maudsley, drag queens, politics, wildlife, fossils, film, poetry and music.

An event spokesman confirmed: "Plans are all set for the fourth Purbeck Literary Festival, which takes place in the Isle of Purbeck, an area in Dorset which has inspired everyone from Hardy, HG Wells, Enid Blyton to TE Lawrence and the Bloomsbury Group.

"So as a perfect pick-me-up to the February blues, book a seat, take up a pen, listen, laugh, and lose yourself in eight days of wildly inspired literary magic."

The festival takes place from February 17-25.

Visit purbeckliteraryfestival.info for a full programme or to book online.

Tickets are also available from the Swanage Tourist Information Centre, Discover Purbeck Information Centre, Wareham, and Swanage's Edition One bookshop in High Street, Swanage.