A POPULAR horror film festival is returning to Stourbridge to send shivers down the spines of movie fans this winter.

The Black Country Horror Shorts Film Festival will see a selection of fear-inducing flicks shown at the Ruskin Glass Centre in Wollaston Road on Saturday December 7.

Filmmakers from around the world have been submitting their horror films ahead of the festival - now in its fifth year - which is organised by Black Country Horror.

A judging panel will whittle hundreds of entries down to the best 15, which will be shown on the night between 7pm and 10pm.

The Mayor of Dudley was at the Ruskin Glass Centre this week to meet the organisers and watch last year’s winning film.

Councillor Hilary Bills, the Mayor of Dudley, said: "I am delighted to see this event is still going strong and indeed getting bigger and better with each year.

“It attracts interest from all over the world in our borough, which can only be a good thing.

"With tickets just £10, including free popcorn, it represents terrific value and I would urge horror fans to go along and support the festival in December."

To book tickets visit www.blackcountryhorror.com.

Festival organiser Alan Birch won the Cedric Hardwicke Award for Arts at the Mayor’s Civic Awards earlier this year for his role in establishing the event.

He said: "The festival continues to be incredibly popular and we have again received submissions from all over the world.

"The quality and inventiveness of the filmmakers is amazing and it will be incredibly tough to whittle it down to the best 15, guaranteeing an incredible night on December 7.

“As always, the audience will be able to vote for their favourite too. Come along – if you dare."

The 15 selected films will last between four and 10 minutes.