Acclaimed author Michael Morpurgo will be part of special wartime-themed celebrations at a literary event on VE Day 75.

The children's author, who has strong Kent connections, will appear at Chiddingstone Castle Literary Festival on the early May bank holiday, which this year has been moved to coincide with the anniversary of the end of the Second World War.

The four-day event, which takes place over the bank holiday weekend, coincides with the 75th anniversary of VE Day - or Victory in Europe Day - and on the bank holiday, Friday, May 8, there will be a wartime themed family day.

The War Horse author will talk to families about his many books set in both the First and Second World Wars and why he feels so strongly about depicting these events for children today.

Children’s authors Anna Fargher and Lucy Strange will talk about their novels The Umbrella Mouse and Our Castle by the Sea, which recreate life during the Second World War through the eyes of animals and children.

There will also be 1940s wartime songs, Lindy Hop dancing, a street party with trestle tables to picnic at 1940s style, with the Last Post sounding at 3pm.

Alongside the wartime themed events for VE Day will be clay modelling sessions of characters from Farmageddon with Aardman Animations and an opportunity to make your own film animation with Press Play Films, plus a Tiger Who Came to Tea Party with a real tiger visitor; storytelling and theatre company performances.

There will be a schools day on Thursday, May 7 at the festival while on Saturday, May 9 and Sunday, May 10 appearances include Second World War historian Andrew Roberts will also be talking about Churchill, who as Prime Minister, led the country to wartime victory.

Ex-editor of Vogue, Alexandra Shulman, bestselling writers Maggie O’Farrell and Joanna Trollope and former editor of the Telegraph Charles Moore will also be speaking.

Festival organiser Victoria Henderson said: "We are thrilled with the line-up for this year’s festival; it offers such a wide variety of subjects and speakers, giving our visitors this wonderful opportunity to hear from so many high calibre authors, to take part and really immerse themselves in the joys of the spoken and written word."

Tickets are available online on Sunday, March 15 and cost £14 ad £7 for children. Book at chiddingstonecastle.org.uk

To find out what’s going on in the county and for all the latest entertainment news click here.