A STAR-STUDDED line-up of scientists, including The Sky at Night presenter Chris Lintott, have been announced for the ATOM festival 2018.

Abingdon's annual celebration of science and technology may not take place until March but organisers have already been hard at work securing an impressive array of speakers for the thriving festival.

Among the guests booked are Professor Marcus Du Sautoy, who has worked to popularise mathematics, experimental psychologist Professor Brian Rogers who works with how the mind perceives 3D images, and feline specialist Professor Andy Sparkes.

The six-day event was created in 2014 by residents keen to take advantage of the town's location as an 'epicentre of UK science' due to its proximity to Harwell Campus, the Rutherford Appleton laboratory and Culham Science Centre.

Along with talks by renowned scientists on subjects as diverse as oceanography and volcanoes to robots and the mysteries of cats, there will also be lab-based challenges for families plus an array of activities at two open-air markets in the town centre.

Following poor turnout in 2016, when the line-up was largely organised by Oxfordshire Science Festival, organisers decided to bring the festival back to its roots for the March 2017 festival.

ATOM's committee chairman James White said: "Last year we brought the festival back under the control of the ATOM festival committee and that proved to be a big success with many events selling out."

"We are hoping to build on that success next year and there really will be something for everyone with talks spread throughout the week and town."

The programme, which will run from March 14 to March 18, will use a variety of locations including the historic Abbey buildings and Abingdon School, which is championing science subjects through an outreach programme called the Abingdon Science Partnership.

Retired businessman Mr White added: "This year we are going to be holding for the first time a second fair focused on technology businesses, showing the practical applications of science."

For more information about ATOM visit atomfestival.org.uk, where a full programme will soon be available to view online.