DESPITE a hiccup with a major controversy over the content of a discussion about Germaine Greer’s new book ’On Rape’, Hay Festival is gearing up for a "fabulous" final three days.

Ms Greer, a prominent writer, feminist and academic, was quoted in a number of national newspapers, including The Sun, after she suggested the punishment for offenders in some rape cases should be reduced.

She said that certain rape cases, especially if they did not involve strong physical violence, should be treated as "non-consensual (or) bad sex". In such cases community service rather than jail would be a more suitable punishment or a rapist could be tattooed with the letter ’r’.

Her comments caused a huge storm on Twitter with some people saying she should no longer be regarded as a feminist.

The festival has mostly been blessed with warm sunshine although occasional heavy downpours have resulted in muddy conditions in some of the grass car parks.

Events still to come at Hay over the final three days of the festival and for which tickets are available include:

FRIDAY

BBC superstar Clemency Burton-Hill mixes a summer classical music playlist with her no.1 best-seller Year of Wonder.

Gene genie Richard Dawkins makes an impassioned argument for reason and knowledge.

Joyful comedy in the inspired madness of Tony Hawks’ Trust the Bucket gameshow.

The great percussionist Evelyn Glennie joins Trio HLK for tonight’s concert.

Mary Beard hosts a Hay Special Front Row Live with Rose McGowan, Kamila Shamsie and Laurie Penny.

SATURDAY

Author of the Year Philip Pullman talks about The Book of Dust.

Monty Don visits Paradise Gardens and Chris Bonington climbs Everest.

Democratic Party chair Donna Brazile and the BBC’s Jon Sopel analyse US politics.

Folk legend Shirley Collins talks to Stewart Lee.

The night closes with Superstar Folk Award winning Show of Hands and an exclusive preview of Colm Toibin’s play written for the great Irish actress Lisa Dwan.

SUNDAY

Tony Robinson and Lisa Dwan read Great War Poetry in the Josephine Hart Poetry Hour.

The anthropologist Alice Roberts describes ten species that changed our world.

Gordon Brown storms the Hay stage with a vision for the future of international trade and finance.

Lindsey Hilsum and Zaina Erhaim bring the latest news from Syria.

Michael Ignatieff responds to the crackdown in Hungary.

Full details can be found at www.hayfestival.org.