THE writer behind a hard hitting TV drama about prostitution is one of the guests at an event devoted to women, which is being held in the city for the first time.

Kay Mellor, whose Bradford based Band of Gold was released 20 years ago, is one of the guests at the inaugural WOW Festival, held at Kala Sangam arts centre over a weekend in November.

The festival, celebrating the achievements of women and girls, originated at the Southbank Centre in London, but earlier this year it was announced it would come to Bradford for the first time.

The line up for the festival has been shaped by meetings between organisers and local women's and community groups, and looks at controversial issues affecting women in Bradford, as well as celebrating their achievements.

One of the events, Band of Gold: 20 years on, will see Mrs Mellor joined by survivors of prostitution to look back on the groundbreaking show, set in the city's red light district, and discuss how things have changed in the past two decades.

Another session will look at safe public space - inspired by the fact many women feel unsafe in the city at night, while another discusses how women are dictated to about what they can wear, from burkinis to miniskirts.

Discussions about "badass women from Bradford" and body image will be held over the two days, and there will be live music and dance sessions.

Local female boxing champions Ambreen Sadiq and Saira Tabasum will give introductory boxing sessions and former Cosmopolitan sex columnist Rachel Morris will chair a discussion about sex.

Funded by the Spirit of 2012, the festival will be an annual event in Bradford for the next three years.

Claire McDermott, WOW project manager, said: "The groups we met with were totally instrumental in the programme for WOW Bradford. There were so many ideas we couldn't include all of them, we were spoiled for choice. Hopefully they will see their influence reflected in the programme. There is definitely a flavour of Bradford in the programme.

"We're not shying away from issues that need to be discussed."

The festival will run on November 5 and 6, with a school focused event on Friday November 4. For the full line up and to buy tickets, visit southbankcentre.co.uk/whatson/festivals-series/wow-bradford