A COLLEGE lecturer and author is celebrating success after his novel premiered in a London theatre.

Part time English lecturer at Nelson and Colne College, Richard MacSween has just returned from London where his second novel, Victory Street premiered as a play at the Soho Theatre on Monday.

The novel, which is based on the Burnley Riots of 2001, was turned into a play by The National Youth Theatre and is being performed all week.

It is also due to be performed by the youth theatre, which has members who are aged 13 to 21, at The Lowry centre in Salford Quay's from October 17 to October 27 as part of the centre's celebration of northern art.

Richard, who lives in Barrowford Road, Colne, is well known for being a political activist and is a member of the Anti-Nazi League and Unite Against Fascism The novel which he penned in 2003, is aimed at teenagers and tells the tale of the smouldering tensions in a northern town.

Richard said: "The book tells of the racial hatred in a fictitious northern town but based on the Burnley and Bradford riots of 2001.

"The residents of Victory Street, the main location for the book, are all familiar with racial tensions. One of them, a woman called Mrs Pearl fled from Nazi Germany while another was witness to the bloody partition of India. The book mainly concentrates on the tensions within the community at the time.

"I was very excited to hear the National Youth Theatre wanted to adapt my book into a play. Although I will not make any money from the play it is absolutely fantastic to see it performed and it really seems to work well in the play format.

"Peter Collins who has directed the play has done a fantastic job and the cast of 13 were superb. I only attended one rehearsal before Monday's premiere and had little input into the direction of the play as I wanted to leave the cast and director mainly to their own devices.

"The novel has been cut down for the stage and is about 45 minutes long now, the story is the same but some of the stories within the main stories have been simplified.

"When the play is on at The Lowry there will be a different cast as many of them will be starting University. I am hopeful that the cast will be northern based to bring the show back to its roots."

For tickets for the performances at The Lowry call the box office on 0870 7875790 or visit www.thelowry.com.