Real-time poetry in motion came to a Yorkshire village last night at the launch of the UK’s first poetry village.

Two young pupils from Marsden Junior School backed by a team of enthusiastic poets and musicians weaved a path through the village shops, pubs and cafes displaying poetry posters.

Twenty-five poems, selected by Marsden The Poetry Village Group from nearly 300 entries, were given pride of place on national Poetry Day.

The village is home to two of the nation’s most distinguished poets Samuel Laycock and Simon Armitage.

Marsden Junior School pupils Flora Smart and Jasmine Mason, both aged nine, received rapturous applause for their poems displayed in the Magic Box on Peel Street.

Flora’s proud father, Ian, said:”She’s just started writing poetry and she’s thrilled to have actually had a chance to read her own work before such a discerning audience.”

David Coldwell, chair of the poetry village steering group, said: “ The launch was a great success. It was really gratifying seeing the number of excellent entries for the event.

“Poetry give great freedom of expression and the poems, which had a musical theme, really set the scene for the Marsden Jazz Festival next month.”

He led the audience on a tour of the village with Julian Jordon, director of the internationally acclaimed website, Write Out Loud.

Mr Jordon said:” The poems really echoed the musical theme and laid the foundation for our poetry village mantle.”