IT was 38 years ago that a new Tyneside publishing venture showcased work by a Northern writer who would go on to win national fame.

Now distinguished broadcaster and author Melvyn Bragg is to return the favour when he appears in Cullercoats in North Tyneside to help celebrate the 40th birthday of Iron Press.

It was set up by Cullercoats villager Peter Mortimer and over the decades has turned out 150 books, featuring the work of around 1,500 writers and poets.

From May 15 a five-day festival of words and music under the title The Iron Age will mark the anniversary.

On May 19 in the RNLI base at Cullercoats Bay, Melvyn Bragg will join other guests including Tyneside actress Charlie Hardwick to give readings from two Iron Press books which won international recognition.

They are Voices of Conscience, featuring the poetry of 20th Century writers who were persecuted for their work, and The Poetry of Perestroika, an anthology of Russian poets published after the upheaval in the Soviet Union.

Iron Press also published the first two books by an unknown Tyneside writer called David Almond who progressed to write Skellig and other award-winning novels.

Iron Press is launching a new book of David Almond’s short stories, called Nesting, which is aimed at adults.

David will be reading at an event on May 18 at Cullercoats Community Centre.

On May 17, Cullercoats Crescent Club will host an event featuring poet and broadcaster Ian McMillan, presenter of The Verb programme on BBC Radio Three and former assistant editor of Iron magazine, which preceded Iron Press.

Writers seeking to be inspired by the sea will be given a close-up opportunity to do so from three boat trips laid on by Cullercoats fisherman John Stocks on May 18.

After tasting life afloat, the next day will see the writers gather at Bill’s fish and chip shop and restaurant at Cullercoats Bay for a workshop on producing sea haiku – a Japanese form of three-line verse.

The workshop will be led by David Cobb, founder of the British Haiku Society and author and editor of various Iron Press haiku books. This will be followed by a fish and chips dinner.

On May 19 an event at Cullercoats Fishermen’s Mission will be hosted Teesside writer Andy Croft, who was first Writer in Residence for the Great North Run.

Iron Press published his 13-part poem sequence – one for each mile of the run.

Andy will give a full reading of his poem at 12.45pm but is inviting people to join him at 11am on the two-and-a-half-mile sea front run from St Mary’s Lighthouse, in Whitley Bay to Cullercoats.

All runners will receive a signed copy of the book, plus free entry to the event.

Peter Mortimer said: “Melvyn Bragg turned up to celebrate the 21st birthday of Iron Press and I decided to write to him to see if he could attend the 40th.

“It is brilliant that he has agreed to come.

“Iron is a small press but I think the people who are coming for the 40th event show how well it is regarded.”

On May 18, North Tyneside theatre and events company Dodgy Clutch will stage a festival spectacular on Cullercoats beach and will be decorating the village seafront.

Festival details and booking on 0191 251 6009 and www.ironpress.co.uk