Despite the battering winds, tree-blocked roads and flooded areas from Storm Darragh, Bridget Ashton’s new “Hay Girl”’ trilogy book launch took place on Saturday, December 7.

The book launch, combined with the 2025 Morpeth Book Festival pre-event, took place in Morpeth Library in Northumberland, where author Bridget now lives.

Guests, including Morpeth Mayor Cllr Betty Bawn, braved the weather conditions to attend the launch.

The Mayor opened the event. She said: “Bridget’s Hay Girl book links the famous book festival town of Hay-on-Wye with Morpeth. She grew up what was then a quiet market town in the 1950s. We are fortunate to have our own book festival now in Morpeth, and 2025 is our forthcoming event.”

Bridget’s book, “Hay before the Bookshops or The Beeman’s Family” is being newly published as part of the Hay Girl trilogy.

Her childhood stories tell of days long before Hay was a book festival town.

Originally from the world’s first book town, Hay-on-Wye, Bridget lived their for part of her early life. Her trilogy combines her first book, “Hay before the Bookshops or The Beeman’s Family” into one volume with the second, “Hit the Road, Gals“ - her student hitchhiking days from Hereford College, and the third, “Cold War, Warm Hearts” - her year spent on foot behind the Iron Curtain.

Bridget spoke fondly of Hay-on-Wye prior to the event. She said: “Hay-on-Wye was the place where, as a girl, I learned to love the land, country ways and a simple lifestyle. Later I was able to transfer this love to Northumberland. But Hay came first. That is why I call my new trilogy, Hay Girl, the Girl from the Book Festival Town.”

She plans to come to Hay for a launch event early in 2025.

The Hay Girl trilogy and the individual books are available on Amazon.