THE landscape and people of North Devon have inspired an award-winning poet and performer who is visiting the area next week.

Ben Mellor (left) won the BBC Radio 4 National Slam Poetry Competition 2009.

He has achieved national acclaim for his work across the country and has appeared at the Edinburgh Festival and the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

Ben is also known for his environmental campaigning work.

His previous work was based on a bicycle odyssey across Britain and it is this passion for sustainable living and protecting the landscape that led him to North Devon.

At the invitation of Beaford Arts, Ben, who comes from Manchester, visited the area for the first time last year to look at the North Devon Biosphere Reserve.

The biosphere reserve is a 3,300sq km area of land, sea and coastline which has been given special protection by the United Nations. It is the only one of its kind in England.

After meeting and talking to North Devon Biosphere Reserve co-ordinator Andy Bell and the Beaford Arts team Ben started forming his ideas for a new piece of work based on climate change.

Some of these initial ideas will feature in a performance by Ben in North Devon on Saturday, March 27.

The performance poetry evening at the Burton Art Gallery and Museum has been set up by Beaford Arts, which is also a member of North Devon's Biosphere Reserve Partnership.

Ben said: "Beaford Arts was interested in me developing a new piece of work in response to the region being a UNESCO biosphere reserve.

"I'm going to take a few days to meet people in the area. The research and also the concept for my new work is really exciting. Beaford Arts has been brilliantly understanding and supportive."

As part of his visit, Ben will revisit parts of the biosphere reserve with Andy Bell who met Ben last autumn when he first came to North Devon.