His debut collection physical has been selected for the Best First Collection Prize, which celebrates the best of the year’s poetry by emerging British writers.

Andrew McMillan graduated from Lancaster University in 2010, with a degree in English Literature with Creative Writing.

More than 200 poetry collections were considered for this year’s Forward prizes, which have been won in the past by Seamus Heaney, Carol Ann Duffy and Ted Hughes.

“It’s a great honour to be shortlisted for this award and to be considered alongside other great poets, especially for a first collection,” explained Andrew. “Ever since beginning my first year at Lancaster I’ve been working towards getting a book out there and it’s great that Jonathan Cape wanted to publish it, and that now it’s getting some attention as well.”

Andrew currently lives in Manchester and lectures in Creative Writing at Liverpool John Moores University.

Speaking about his time at University, Andrew said: “Studying at Lancaster meant I was reading a diverse range of texts – contemporary poetry, modernism, renaissance, Indian literature – as well as honing my craft as a poet.  Being around world class academics and world renowned poets like Paul Farley was a great platform towards what I'm doing now.”

Pulitzer Prize winner Paul Muldoon, Distinguished Visiting Professor in the Department of English and Creative Writing, has also been shortlisted for the Best Collection Prize for One Thousand Things Worth Knowing, his twelfth collection of poetry.

The winners will be announced on 28 September at the Royal Festival Hall in London.