A RECORD number of people have entered competitions at a Hampshire literary festival which is causing a stir all around the world.

More than 3,000 pieces of work have been submitted for the 2004 Annual Writers' Conference in Winchester next weekend.

Conference director Barbara Large has been receiving scores of letters every day.

Entries have been posted from as far afield as Hungary, Turkey, Kenya and the US.

Writers send in their work under assumed names so judges can consider entries without prejudice.

Pseudonyms being used this year include Dolly Daydream, Dyson Vortex, Gladys Glampot and Maureen O'Shannigans.

Now 32 judges are reading the submissions for the 15 competitions.

Sixty-two prizes and eight trophies will be handed out at a special presentation next Saturday evening.

The Daily Echo is sponsoring two competitions, for poetry and a 450-word feature. Poet and travel writer Phil Carradice is judging the poetry competition and Daily Echo deputy news editor David Brine is judging the best feature article.

Mrs Large said: "Three thousands entries is our best ever, it just keeps growing."

Now in its 24th year, the Annual Writers' Conference has helped more than 60 authors have their work published.

It will be held over three days at the former King Alfred's College, now known as University College Winchester, starting on Friday, and is followed by a week of writing workshops taking place until Friday, July 2.