This year's Windsor Fringe Festival will culminate as usual with the presentation of the Kenneth Branagh Award for new drama writing.

The competition has attracted 257 scripts from 17 countries - now whittled down to three, which will be performed on the last three nights of the Fringe at Brigidine School in Kings Road Friday to Sunday, October 5 to 7.

The plays are 'Fade Out' by Lyndsey Honour, a television and film publicist, 'Hometime' by David Hendon, a journalist and broadcaster in Birmingham and 'Clara at Noon' by Wendy Dickinson, a director and composer from the north west.

Windsor Fringe is now the second oldest fringe in the UK. Events this year will include theatre, comedy, music, film, dance, cabaret, children's shows.

There is a new chairman Karen Darville - who runs her local family business Darvilles of Windsor Teas.

She said: "I am delighted we have such a varied and interesting programme which we hope will appeal to a wide range of people, as well as activities that the Windsor Fringe has become renowned for, including the artists' open houses and Kenneth Branagh Award."