BILLY Liar is probably the best-known fictional fibber of all time, and his creator, Keith Waterhouse, is one of the stars of the Durham Literature Festival, which launches next week.

To celebrate writer and columnist Mr Waterhouse's appearance at the County Durham event, on July 3, The Northern Echo is offering a £100 prize for the North-East's most convincing liar.

Contestants will have no more than 80 words to accomplish the task of making the impossible seem far from implausible.

At stake is the honour of the North's tall tale tellers.

"We decided the North-East should have a unique literary award" said festival coordinator, Alison Lister, "but one that everyone could take part in and something light-hearted.

"This is a festival about words, so we thought we should honour the people that can tell totally convincing stories - real tall tales - lies in fact.

"The lies have to be about Durham and the North-East. They have to be 80 words or under. They have to be believable. They can be in verse or prose.

"The writer Chaz Brenchley has come up with my favourite so far. Commenting that the tallest tale means the smallest lie he wrote 'Very flat, Durham'."

Writer Julie Blackie has staked an early claim with the shock revelation that pop superstar Stevie Wonder was born not in the USA, but in Durham.

So get writing! Entries should be sent to Alison Lister, Festival Coordinator, Byland Lodge, Hawthorn Terrace, Durham, DH1 4TD.

The Northern Arts Literary Fellow and poet Ian Duhig and Peter Barron, editor of The Northern Echo, will judge the lies.

The best entries will be printed in The Northern Echo and on the Literature Festival's web site www.literaturefestival.co.uk

The closing date for entries is Thursday, June 28.

The winner will be announced on Tuesday, July 3, when Keith Waterhouse, the author of Billy Liar and Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell, reads from his latest book Soho, at St Nicholas Church, Market Place, Durham City.

* Ian Duhig and Northern Writer of the Year Sean O'Brien open the festival on June 12 in The Miners Hall, Redhills, Durham, at 7.30pm, when Mr Duhig will premiere a specially-commissioned festival poem. Events run until July 7.

For festival box office information call Durham City Arts on 0191-301 8245 or Durham City's Tourist Information Office on 0191-384 3720.