JOHN Le Carré and Martin Amis will lead an impressive line-up of writers and speakers at the 2010 Oxford Literary Festival.

Hundreds of authors are taking part in this year’s festival which runs over nine days from March 20.

Crime writer Le Carré will give a lecture in the Sheldonian Theatre and will accept the 2010 Sunday Times Award for Literature Excellence. The Christ Church-based festival will also see Oxford novelist Philip Pullman – always one of the event’s biggest draws – talking in public for the first time about his controversial new novel The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ. For the first time, Corpus Christi College will host part of the festival, including the opening dinner in the historic college hall. Documentary-maker Michael Cokerell will be the guest speaker.

Other big names taking part in the festival include Man Booker Prize winner Hilary Mantel; the Booker winning novelist AS Byatt; Antony Beevor, who will be talking about his history of the D-Day Landings; and Ian McEwan and Craig Raine, who will be discussing each other’s new novels.

Director Sally Dunsmore said: “The festival is expecting at least 30,000 people.

“For the first time there will be a programme of high-profile events at the Sheldonian Theatre featuring writers such as Martin Amis, Richard Dawkins and John Le Carré.

“Corpus Christi’s new theatre will also be a main venue.

“The little gate between Corpus Christi and Christ Church is normally opened just once a year, but it will remain open throughout the festival.“ Other festival highlights include Robert Harris talking about the filming of his thriller, The Ghost, ahead of a screening of the Roman Polanski-directed film.

Joanna Harris, the author of Chocolat, will launch her first thriller Blueeyed Boy at an event on the final day.

American singer-songwriter Patti Smith will discuss Just Kids, her memoir of life with Robert Mapplethorpe, and the festival will host a number of debates, including one with Sir Ian Blair, the former Metropolitan Police Commissioner, who will speak on the future of the police. Actors including Richard E Grant and Tim Piggott-Smith will also attend.

The Children’s Festival is again set to be a major hit with local schools – guests due to take part include Antony Horowitz, Meg Rosoff and Geraldine McCaughrean.

Tickets are now on sale. To see the festival programme or book online visit oxfordliteraryfestival.com or call 0870 343 1001