He's a man who has written about the Lake District, The Beatles and some of football's biggest stars.

Now he has more than 'rented a cottage on the Isle of Wight'...he has bought a home in Ryde.

Hunter Davies has been a leading author for many years with an authorised biography of The Beatles, plus novels and children's books under his belt.

His next book, due out early next year, is all about his move to the Island.

For many years he divided his time between his beloved Lakes and London, where he was a columnist for Punch and turning out many books.

But after the death of his wife, the novelist Margaret Forster, Hunter's life has brought him to the Island.

He told the County Press: "Before buying the house, I had only been here once before and that was a very limited experience, interviewing the Parkhurst prison governor in the days when The Krays and the Great Train Robbers were among the inmates.

"My new partner and I were looking for a holiday home in the south east and the IW came up.

"We looked in Seaview first but then found a home in Ryde which we bought."

Always looking for inspiration for a new tome, Hunter settled on a title and subject "Love In Old Age...My Year in the Wight House".

He is mixing his move to Ryde with travels to some of the Island's gems such as Dimbola, Osborne and the Garlic Farm.

"I also spoke to John Giddings about his wonderful Isle of Wight Festival and was lucky enough to be invited to the event in September," he said.

Ron Foulk was also an interviewee, as Hunter took him back to the glories of the original festivals of Dylan, Hendrix et al.

Now he is looking to bring something to the Island's table in the form of the Isle of Wight Book Awards, which he has set up alongside Peter Harrigan and Medina Bookshop's Krissy Lloyd.

The bookshop is the main sponsor of the event.

Hunter believes the Island will only be the second place in the UK (after the Lake District) to hold an area book awards and he has lined up two well-known authors, Joanna Trollope and Cowes's own Alan Titchmarsh, to join him on the judging panel.

The awards will be presented in September 2022 at a lunch event.

There are three categories: fiction, non fiction and children's, with the former two having to have a strong IW element in their content.

Bob Seely, Island MP will announce the shortlist and there will then be a volte online.

Hunter said: "We are looking for well-written, readable books with a strong Island element.

"The ease of self publishing these days mean this is not just for the elite...anyone can publish a book."

If you want to know more about the Isle of Wight Book Awards go to iowbookawards.co.uk/