By ALASDAIR GILL ruth.lognonne@hexham-courant.co.uk

Published at 09:38, Friday, 18 December 2009

A REDESDALE man has won second place in the inaugural Basil Bunting Poetry Award.

Peter Bennett, from West Woodburn, was runner-up with his poem The Tower.

Peter said: “It would have been nice to win something outright, but over 1,000 people entered, so it was a good achievement.”

Peter, who has been writing for 20 years, was shortlisted for the T.S. Eliot Award in 2008.

The Basil Bunting Poetry Award was set up by former Hexham solicitor John Halliday – Bunting’s former son-in-law. Basil Bunting shot to fame on the literary scene with his autobiographical poem Briggflatts in 1966.

Born in Scotswood-on-Tyne, the well travelled poet had spells living at Wylam, Greystead in the North Tyne, and Whitley Chapel.

Peter said: “I’m pretty sure as years go on, it will become one of the sought after awards.”

Published by http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk