BUDDING Steven Spielbergs had their short films shown on the big screen at a special event.

Youngsters who had made their own movies saw them aired at Cheshire's first Young People's Film Festival, held at the Odeon Cinema in Chester.

The night was attended by 300 aspiring directors, actors, camera operators and scriptwriters from across the county, including a number from Ellesmere Port and Neston.

Youngsters, aged between 13 and 19, had taken part in a county-wide project to produce a film showing what life is like growing up in their community.

And to celebrate their efforts, they were treated like Hollywood stars, arriving in stretch limousines and escorted into the cinema along a red carpet while 'paparazzi' - local photographers - snapped them.

The project was organised by the county's youth service to celebrate National Youth Work Week.

Youth service manager Hazel Mayamba-Kasongo said: 'The festival was a fantastic experience for the youngsters and we thank the Odeon for their wonderful hospitality. We hope this will become an annual event.'

Paul Fox, general manager of the Northgate Street cinema, said: 'There was immediately a sense of excitement because we are fanatical about all types of film, and here we were given the unique opportunity to help showcase the vast amounts of talent there obviously is in Cheshire.

'And we might even find the next George Lucas, Tom Cruise or Catherine Zeta Jones. What an achievement that would be.'