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The only free competitive drama festival in the known world takes place in Haverhill next week with six one-act plays to be seen over three evenings.

The annual Haverhill Drama Festival has become one of the main East Anglian competitive drama events of the year, with the winners eligible to be chosen for the national finals.

The adjudicator this year is Paul Fowler, from the Guild of Drama Adjudicators (GODA) and the festival is a full member of the National Drama Festivals Association - but the only one which admits the audience free of charge.

This is because it is organised and sponsored by Haverhill Town Council.

There is a slightly reduced programme this year, with the festival taking place a week later than usual because of the lateness of the Spring Bank Holiday.

But groups will be taking part from Stretham, Comberton and Sawston as well as two entries from Haverhill's own Centre Stage Company.

The festival opens on Wednesday, June 9 with Stretham Players' production of There's Something About Bernard, followed by past festival winners Skateboard Theatre Company from the Comberton area with Love In A Glass Jar.

If it's anything like the group's stunning version of the first act of Jim Cartwright's play Two, which won the festival a few years ago, it is not to be missed.

On Thursday evening Sky Blue Dramawise from Sawston will open up with The Method by local author Frances Bartram.

Following them will be Centre Stage Company with The Cobbler's Ball, a hilarious spoof Victorian melodrama, recently staged as part of the group's Three For One production.

On Friday it's Centre Stage again with another from that production, To All Intents And Purposes, a new play by a long-standing member of the group, David Hart.

Rounding off the festival are Swavesey RADSOC with Tunnel Vision, a thriller which they performed in both the Sawston and Cambridge Drama Festivals earlier this year.

At the end of each evening the adjudicator will give his findings, and after that on the third evening there will be the presentations, with trophies for winner, runner-up, best director, best actor, best actress, best cameo, best set design, best new play and the adjudicator's award.

Each evening starts at 7.30pm at Haverhill Arts Centre, and free tickets can be booked in advance from the centre box office.