THE clock is ticking down to this summer's Lakeland Book of the Year awards.

The awards luncheon takes place on July 15 at the Inn On The Lake, Ullswater.

This year's chosen charity is The Great North West Air Ambulance.

The awards are now in their 30th year and involves a special lunch for authors, publishers and judges.

Organisers say they have received 60 entries this year and a shortlist of potential winners will be published as soon as judging is complete.

There are five categories available plus one overall champion - The Hunter Davies Lakeland Book of the Year 2014.

Each category winner will receive a cheque for £100 plus a free lunch.

The Hunter Davies Lakeland Book of the Year winner will receive a cheque for £1000.

Mr Davies, a former Sunday Times journalist and biographer, was thanked this year for increasing the prize ten-fold in celebration of its anniversary.

The categories are as follows:

- The David Winkworth Prize for Illustration and Presentation

- The Striding Edge Prize for Guides and Places - The Zephirellis Prize for People and Business

- The Bookends Prize for Art and Literature - The Bill Rollinson Prize for Landscape and Tradition

Seats are limited and authors/publishers have priority booking for tickets for themselves and their guests until this Saturday (May 31st), as seats are limited.

Booking forms should be returned with a cheque for £30 per person made out to Cumbria Tourism.

Anyone requiring a form can email elleraybank@btinternet.com