A VERY special St Patrick's night – with one of Yorkshire's favourite sons – is in store for Market Rasen.

Best-selling author, and radio and TV personality Gervase Phinn, who regularly packs theatres up and down the country, is the guest at an evening at the Festival Hall, on Saturday, March 17 in aid of Holy Rood Parish.

"We are absolutely thrilled that Gervase has kindly agreed to do this evening for us" said Father Tom Breslin, the priest at Holy Rood, a parish in desperate need of funds as it serves the rural Catholic churches of Market Rasen, Caistor, Hainton and Osgodby.

Gervase was born in 1946 in Rotherham. After a career as a teacher he became a schools inspector and then Visiting Professor of Education at the University of Teesside. He is now a freelance lecturer, broadcaster and writer, publishing many articles, chapters and books and editing a wide range of poetry and short story collections.

He has published five volumes of autobiography, collections of poetry and a number of books about education.

He has a particular interest in children's literature and literacy but is now best known as a lively and entertaining speaker.

He is married with four grown-up children.

He has been described as Yorkshire's favourite storyteller; his love of the landscape and personalities of the Yorkshire Dales comes through in his theatre performances as much as in his writing.

Gervase has been touring and selling out theatres across the country for more than nine years, and is set for another UK countrywide two-month tour this summer, starting in May.

As a hilarious raconteur, this best selling and award- winning author really is at his best and most exciting in front of a live audience.

At the event, the bar will be open from 7pm until 11pm with an interval for refreshments, a raffle with luxury prizes and personal book signing sessions.

Tickets are £15 per person to include coffee and cake, available exclusively by post on a first come, first servedbasis.

Applicants should mark their envelope: "An Evening with Gervase Phinn", c/o Sheila Douglas, Holy Rood Catholic Church, King Street, Market Rasen, LN8 3BB.

Cheques should be made payable to 'Friends of Holy Rood' and include a stamped address envelope for the return of tickets.

For more information, call Sarah on 07974 194888.