A CHURCH in Padiham is celebrating the life of T S Eliot 50 years after his death with a series of thought-provoking lectures on his life and works.

Plans have been pulled together by the Lancashire Collaborative Ministry for a 'Festival of the North' in his honour at the Unitarian Church at Knight Hill.

Rev Jim Corrigall, the Unitarian minister, will give an illustrated lecture on Eliot, with music and readings, on his religion and poetry, focusing on 'Four Quartets', from 7pm this Saturday (Jun13).

Eliot had a Unitarian background and Mr Corrigall is a member of the T S Eliot Society and has lectured on the same lines at a number of UK literary festivals.

Then as part of the festival poet and theologian Christopher Southgate will explore the acclaimed verse biography of Eliot, 'A Love And Its' Sounding ' together with his wife Sandy on cello, on Saturday, June 20, again from 7pm.

The festival has already featured poetry lecturer Graham Fawcett give a talk at the church on Eliot as part of his world poet series.

He is the president of the T S Eliot Society. Tickets for the remaining two dates are priced at £7.