BARD of Barnsley Ian McMillan is now a prof of the people - after becoming a visiting professor at the University of Bolton.
Ian, who has a show on BBC Radio 3 called The Verb, is already poet in residence at Barnsley FC and works at Wakefield prison - where he refers to himself as 'visiting poet' rather than 'poet in residence'.
He entertained staff and students at his
inaugural lecture with stories, poetry and wordplay and witty observations.
He explained his long-standing interest in local poetry and song and said he will be researching neglected northern poets of the 1960s and 1970s.
Ian said: "Bolton is a town I like very much with a literary heritage and history and a forward thinking university community who are open to all new ideas."
Professor David Rudd, of the University's School of Arts, Media and Education, added: "We shall make the most of our three years working with this 'prof of the people'!"
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