A COUNTRYSIDE writer is being celebrated by academics at Essex University.

The career of Dr Ronald Blythe, who celebrates his 90th birthday, will be marked by a day of talks, readings, films and music.

A former editor of Penguin Classics for more than 20 years Dr Blythe has made films for the BBC and regularly contributes to a long-running column, Word from Wormingford, in the Church Times. He was named England’s greatest living country writer by The Independent in 2012 and has also worked with Benjamin Britten at the Aldeburgh Festival.

Tickets are £10 for the event at St James’ Church, Nayland, on Saturday March 9, and runs from 11am to 8pm.