TWO of Oxford’s best known authors joined forces to help Oxford in its bid to become the Unesco World Book Capital in 2014.

Inspector Morse creator Colin Dexter and fantasy writer Philip Pullman attended yesterday’s launch of the city’s bid to land the title.

Oxford would be invited to host a year-long programme of events, bringing thousands of book lovers to the city, along with leading authors from across the world.

The bid was launched at the 400-year-old Convocation House, in the Bodleian Library. No other cities have yet thrown their hats into the ring.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization launched the scheme in 2001, when Madrid claimed the title. Recent winners include Slovenian capital Ljubljana and Buenos Aires.

Mr Pullman said: “I think it is a wonderful idea. There is nowhere more fitting in the whole of Britain to make a bid for this honour. I hope we succeed and this gives Oxford the recognition it deserves.”

Mr Dexter said: “I occasionally go to the bookmakers. I would certainly bet on Oxford winning this title. I have always thought Oxford not just the book capital of the UK, but of the whole planet.”

The reopening of a refurbished New Bodleian building, in Broad Street, as the Weston Library, and a £14m Story Museum for the city are both scheduled for 2014.

Tony Stratton, chairman of Oxford Inspires, which works to develop culture in the city, said: “It would be a year of new and existing events when Oxford reaches out to the nation, to Europe, and beyond.

“Our goal would be to inspire the world to pick up and read more books, more often.”

“We have unparalleled resources to support a programme of this kind – world-renowned publishers, booksellers and libraries, and there are probably more major authors of fiction and non-fiction here than in any comparable city in the world.”

A series of public and private consultations is planned over the coming months to galvanise support for the bid, starting with an event in Bonn Square from tomorrow until Monday, where local artist Diana Bell will show her two-metre-high Big Book installation.