ESSEX’S ‘unofficial poet laureate’ and other poets will be performing at a historic Colchester church tomorrow.

Wivenhoe-born performance poet Martin Newell, Essex’s unofficial poet laureate, and another Martin, the poet and editor known as MW Bewick, will be St Leonard’s at the Hythe on July 20 at 2pm.

St Leonard’s at the Hythe is classed as a redundant church but is open weekly on a Tuesday at 12pm to 2pm as well as being open to the public for events such as carol services and arts events.

Martin Newell is also a songwriter and leads the guitar pop band ‘Cleaners from Venus’ and has written about the Hythe, with some of his work on show at Hythe Station in a permanent poster exhibition.

While MW Bewick is a professional editor and journalist, co-founding Dunlin Press, and performs around the UK at poetry and book festivals.

The event is free, but you can donate if wanted to the volunteer-society Friends of St Leonard’s, who run and organise events throughout the year.

The Friends of St Leonard’s last hosted the first public talk from debut Colchester novelist Holly Pester, to discuss her new book The Lodger.