Poetry fans in Lichfield tucked in to bacon butties while enjoying the latest efforts from local bards.

The coffee shop inside St Mary’s Centre, in Market Square, provided the tasty treats for visitors arriving to hear from The Lichfield Poets, who were in the cafe ahead of their performance at this year’s Lichfield Mysteries.

The group will become The Guild of Poets for the special event next month, and will be presenting their interpretations of biblical events including Noah’s Flood and Judgement Day. Janet Jenkins, spokeswoman for the Lichfield Poets, said members were pleased to be involved with the Mysteries.

“A great deal of work has gone into writing and organising the project, and we hope that the audience enjoy it,” she said. The Lichfield Poets will perform at the Mysteries on both July 4 and 5 at 10.30am. Members of the group, which was established three years ago, have already featured in two Lichfield Festivals and have published an anthology, Silver Words.

The group meets regularly in Lichfield. Anyone who writes poetry, or has an interest in it, can get in touch at lichfield.poets@hotmail.co.uk

The Lichfield Mysteries is a medieval extravaganza set to take over the city centre for one weekend in July. Hundreds of performers breathe life into 26 plays telling the story of mankind from creation to Doomsday.

The free event, which is staged every three years in Lichfield, is one of the biggest community theatre events in the country.