An award-winning Barrow writer has released a new book of his plays and screen scripts from the past 10 years.

Phil Pearson, 57, a former deputy editor of the Mail and a sub-editor with the BBC and The Guardian, is now based in South Manchester where he works full-time as a writer with four short films and 14 plays to his name.

His new book, named after one of his plays, ‘Blackpool, What A S*** Place to Die’, includes eight plays that have all been performed professionally in England or Ireland over the past decade or have been made into short films.

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It features the play ‘Up The Junction’, which won the Best Script Award at an international playwriting festival in County Mayo in 2023.

The title play of the new book toured the UK in 2018 and has just enjoyed a three-night, sold-out run at Bolton Octagon in September this year.

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Phil said: “It’s been a rollercoaster of a ride, both writing and then seeing my plays performed.

“I’ve been very lucky to be able to do it and have worked with some incredibly talented people along the way. I thought it would be a good idea to gather the plays all together and have them in one book, just so I can remind myself what I have been up to."

Phil's book cover (Image: Phil Pearson) The foreword to the book is written by Nick Bagnall, who was the associate director of the Everyman and Playhouse theatres in Liverpool between 2014 and 2019. His most recent work is directing a Simon Armitage retelling of Hansel and Gretel, which will have an extended run at The Globe, London, in December.

Nick wrote: “Phil’s language is physical and impactful - an actor’s dream.

“We want to be grabbed hold of and taken, as the watcher or the reader, and Phil does that with great urgency and honesty.

“He has a lion’s heart - an unending desire to search and excavate the choices we make and the paths we are shown. He is a brilliant writer.”

The book is available to buy now, priced at £10, on eBay. co.uk.