Renowned Prestwich performance poet Tony Walsh will play his home town next week after releasing his first book.

He will play a sold-out show at The Church Inn on Wednesday as part of Prestwich Book Festival before hosting a poetry slam on May 31 at Heaton Park Sports and Social Club, which he describes as the X-Factor for poets.

Tony, aged 47, works under his stage name Longfella which is influenced by his towering 6ft 5in frame, and he was the poet in residence at Glastonbury 2011.

He has just released his debut book entitled ‘Sex & Love and Rock & Roll’ and he says it is a career spanning collection of poetry.

“I should have had two or three books out by now but it is 10 years of work.

“I got quite emotional when I had the first copy in my hands,” he said.

“I was 39 when I went to an open mic night and the following August I was performing at Glastonbury.”

Poetry was always a passion since childhood but he only took up the calling as a job later on in life.

He had steady jobs at Manchester City Council and Salford City Council for 20 years working on regeneration projects before leaving in April, 2011 to take poetry up full-time.

“It was a good job and I enjoyed it.

“It was a big step to give up a job like that being married with two kids.

“It is a big change from being in a job with a regular income to being a freelance where you can have a really good week then sometimes a lean month. I couldn’t make decisions like that without my family and my wife has always supported me.

“It is a real change in lifestyle being away from home.”

As poet in residence in Glastonbury, he was responsible for writing poems every day of the festival, and he says this opened a lot of doors for him.

In January, 2012 he was commissioned to write a poem on the Manchester derby which was featured on BBC’s Football Focus, and his work was shown across BBC TV and radio.

Now he says he is excited to return to Prestwich, firstly at the Church Inn, and then hosting a “poetry night with a difference” at the Heaton Park social club on Bury Old Road.

Speaking about the May 31 event, Tony said: “It’s great to perform in an intimate venue.

“All the poets will be performing without notes and it will be the opposite of what you would expect from a traditional poetry night.”

The night promises a loud, raucous atmosphere where 12 of the North West’s top slam poets will compete to win a cash prize.

Tickets for the show on May 31 cost £5. For ticket information: visit prestwichbookfestival.

net or longfella.co.uk.