A former military testing site and east Suffolk landmark will host an intimate event featuring readings from a book heavily inspired by the area.

Orford Ness is a remote shingle spit that was once used as a weapons testing site during both World Wars before being sold to the National Trust in 1993.

Nature and wildlife have taken over the spit, which is south of Aldeburgh, in abundance, inspiring author Robert Macfarlane to write his book Ness in 2019. 

His novel set at the site in turn inspired Wild Beasts frontman Hayden Thorpe to write an album, also called Ness, which is set to be released later this year on September 27. 

Robert Macfarlane was inspired by the nature and history of Orford NessRobert Macfarlane was inspired by the nature and history of Orford Ness (Image: PA)

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As part of the album launch, Mr Macfarlane and Mr Thorpe will be performing in a series of gigs called Ness Speaks: Words An Music on Saturday, September 28 and Sunday, September 29. 

The event will feature and intimate acoustic performance by Mr Thorpe and a reading and question-and-answer session by Mr Macfarlane. 

The author said: "Orford Ness has long been a place of transformation and mutation, so it makes perfect and exciting sense to me to see my own words about the site taken up and transfigured into music by Hayden Thorpe. 

"Working with Jack McNeill and Kerry Andrew, he has created something deeply strange and wildly original: a nuclear epic, a desert music dream vision."

Hayden Thorpe will be performing an acoustic gigHayden Thorpe will be performing an acoustic gig (Image: PA)

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Tickets cost £35 and will include the ferry crossing over to Orford Ness, performance and a self-guided walk. 

There will only be four performances across the weekend with a reduced visitor route to help visitors get a feel for the site which has inspired many artists. 

Glen Pearce, Orford Ness property operations manager, said: "Ness Speaks will be a fusion of music, literature and art all carried out in some of the most unique landscapes we have on the Suffolk Coast."

Orford Ness was home to the iconic Orfordness Lighthouse before it was demolished several years ago, having been threatened by coastal erosion.