The Yorkshire author visited Boothferry Road-based venue The Courtyard for the launch of the Write for Your Life project and performed in front of a public audience and 60 project participants.

And the poet returned the following week to continue writing Midnight at the Courtyard, a new piece of performance poetry created by both performer and audience.

A spokesman for the Courtyard said: "He is a magician with words and hearing him conjuring live was a great pleasure, evident from the laughter and enthusiasm of the audiences at the Courtyard.

"He gave us down to earth, brilliantly observed improvisations on any subject that arose and his rapport with everyone was genuinely heart-warming."

Write for Your Life is part of the Sing for Your Life project, which started in 2004 and is run by the Courtyard in association with Goole community arts organisation, ArtsAway.

The campaign runs three ten-week projects every year, working with different primary schools from Goole and the surrounding areas.

The Write for Your Life project brings together Y5 Boothferry Primary School pupils to collaborate with ArtsAway adults to produce creative writing in an audible form, such as poetry and songs.

The Courtyard recently received a grant of £4,995 from the Arts Council to help fund the project's performances and local guests to support it.

The next artist, performance poet Dave Webb, follows with his Webb on Words piece: Words Spoken, Words Sung, Words Written.

Write for Your Life continues in the new year with singer and songwriter Paula Ryan.