THE search is on for the next Forest Bard, with the winner of the annual contest to be announced this year at Dean Forest Voice's Forest Faddle at the Forest Theatre, Five Acres, on September 24.

Recently, all seven past and current winners met at the Baptist Chapel in Coleford to present an evening of their poetry, as part of the Coleford Festival of words.

For a chance to join this illustrious group get pens and paper out now, start writing, and perhaps you'll become the Forest Bard for 2011.

Entries, written in Forest dialect, should be sent to Keith Morgan at the Barber Shop, Market Place, Coleford GL16 8AA by Saturday September 10.