GLASGOW'S book festival, Aye Write, is to give away more than 300 free tickets to people living in some of the more deprived areas of the city.

The scheme which will distribute 350 tickets, in nine areas of the city, is being launched this year as a "Community Ticketing Strategy", funded by two charitable trusts who wish to remain anonymous.

The festival said the tickets were for "book lovers who may not have been able to attend otherwise".

The tickets will be made available for both the main book festival, which takes place at the Mitchell Library, and the Wee Write! festival for children and young people.

People from Ruchill/Possilpark, Drumchapel, Lambhill/Milton, Parkhead/Dalmarnock, Easterhouse, Springboig/Barlanark, Priesthill/Househillwood, Greater Gorbals and Govan will be eligible for the tickets.

The tickets will be distributed by a community creative learning group for the festival, which runs from March 10 until March 20.

The events include Knife and Packer, whose books inspired the popular CITV series Fleabag Monkeyface, Crocadiamond, featuring award winning children’s author Debi Gliori, and The Science of Doctor Who at Wee Write! while Great Glasgow Crime, The Shed that fed a Million and 50 Years of Star Trek are among the events in Aye Write! featured.

Councillor Archie Graham, chair of Glasgow Life, which runs the city's galleries and libraries, said the events "open up whole new worlds to people through books and poetry".

"By introducing the Community Ticketing Strategy we hope to engage with even more people right across the city and bring them to the festivals," he said.

"They’ll enjoy sessions featuring some well-known authors which will inspire them to read and write more and to use their local library to access the education and support services on offer there as well as for borrowing books."

This year Aye Write! has a new strand of programming for comics, gaming and 'unsettling fiction 'called Aye Con which will feature Christopher Brookmyre, Kirsty Strain and Metaphrog amongst many others.

Also appearing at Aye Write! are the leaders of the five largest Holyrood parties.