Harry Potter actress Miriam Margolyes at Wenlock poetry festival

Miriam Margolyes, Bafta award-winning actress and star of Harry Potter movies, will be in Shropshire next week to perform at the Much Wenlock poetry festival.

She takes part in the event on April 29.

Miriam, who plays Professor Sprout in the Harry Potter films, will be appearing at the three-day festival and has said she is looking forward to meeting the people of Shropshire.

"My first visit to the Wenlock Poetry Festival is fulfilling two needs. To surround myself with beautiful scenery and to speak beautiful words. I expect there are some beautiful people to meet as well. What a perfect weekend."

The screen and theatre actress will perform a poetry reading at 5pm and will then be a judge, alongside John Gorman and Dreadlockalien, for the Poetry Slam at 9.30pm on the same day.

Linda Richards, of Wenlock Poetry Festival, said: "We are thrilled to have such a special surprise guest at the festival. We are so pleased she has agreed to come along to spend time in Wenlock and add to the fun."

Festival organisers promise a wealth of entertainment for the three-day festival, including poetry for kids, street poetry, performance poetry and a poetry cafe.

For more information or to buy tickets online visit www.wenlockpoetryfestival.org