A GROUP of writers presented their work to an audience yesterday in the lead-up to the Teesside festival of disabled art.

The Lansdowne Writers read some of their work at the Lansdowne Road day centre, in Middlesbrough.

The writers, who are all disabled, presented their work to members of the public and day centre members.

The festival is a celebration of disability arts, showing the creativity, individual freedom and collective strength of disabled artists.

Cleveland Arts will be showcasing new work by several of the country's "cutting edge" artists and companies, as well as works of art by disabled people from Teesside.

Cleveland Arts spokesman Luke Harding said yesterday: "The reading was a good way to let people know about the festival.

"All the writings were of high quality and some of the writers have even been published."

The New Reality Millennium Festival starts on Monday, September 25.