A BEST-selling crime novelist is returning to his former home town to stage two events as part of the literary line-up during Darlington Arts Festival in May.

John Dean, the former chair of festival organisers Darlington for Culture, left Darlington after 26 years at the end of 2017 to live in the south west of Scotland.

The author of 17 novels is published by London-based The Book Folks.

He is the creator of DCI John Blizzard and DCI Jack Harris and his books frequently feature on the Amazon bestseller lists.

His events at Darlington Arts Festival are also part of National Crime Reading Month in May, which is organised by both the Crime Writers' Association and the Crime Readers' Association.

Mr Dean, who is a member of both organisations as well as Darlington for Culture, said: “I am looking forward to returning to Darlington for the festival.

"Having been heavily involved in it when I lived in Darlington, I am delighted to see it thriving.”

The events, run through Inscribe Media, include a writing workshop, An Introduction to Crime Fiction, which takes place on Sunday, May 19 from 10am-1pm at Dr.inks, opposite Hash, at 3, Coniscliffe Road, Darlington.

The cost is £15.

Mr Dean will also give a talk from 2pm on the same day at Dr.inks, And The Meet Shall Inherit the Storyline, looking at how conflict in the modern age drives crime fiction. The cost is £3 and both events are for people aged 16 and over.

Anyone attending the workshop can stay for the talk free of charge.

To book the workshop, email deangriss@btinternet.com.

People wanting to attend the talk can pay on the door.

The Darlington Arts Festival is now in its seventh year and runs from Friday, may 17 to Monday, May 20.

Under the theme of 'Follow Your Art', this year the festival aims to highlight the range of creative activities and clubs in Darlington for locals to take part in.

Darlington For Culture (DfC), who organises the annual event, said its aim this year is to help the arts scene thrive even more in 2019 and encourage local societies to get involved in promoting themselves.