WORLD famous author Louis de Bernires has written a short story exclusively for the Daily Echo.

De Bernires, whose book Captain Corelli's Mandolin was an international bestseller and was turned into a film starring Nicolas Cage, was commissioned to write a short story for the Daily Echo's Weekend magazine by poet-in-residence Polly Clark.

The story, The Deposit, receives its first publication in a special creative writing edition of the magazine today.

It tells the story of a down-and-out forced to pawn a priceless violin and echoes the themes and locations of Thomas Hardy's novel The Mayor of Casterbridge.

Polly, who approached de Bernires at the Hay-on-Wye literary festival, said: "It's a real coup for the Echo to be granted first publication of a brand new story by Louis de Bernires.

"He's a brilliant writer and I'm sure anyone who enjoyed Captain Corelli's Mandolin will love this story - it's even got a bit of a musical theme."

Polly, who oversees the Daily Echo's creative writing postbag, spent a day visiting Hardy country landmarks - including Stonehenge and Dorchester - with de Bernires. and asked him to write a story inspired by the author.

De Bernires is the latest in a long line of authors and poets to write for the The Weekend Magazine. Other specially commissioned contributors have included poet laureate Andrew Motion and Reggie Perrin author David Nobbs.