Former Glusburn man Simon Beaufoy last night won a British "Oscar” for writing hit movie Slumdog Millionaire.

The film picked up seven prizes at the British Academy Film Awards in London.

As well as Best Adapted Screenplay it won awards for best film, director, cinematography, music, editing and sound. Picking up his Bafta, former Malsis School student Mr Beaufoy said the award was a great privilege.

He said he had two pretend Baftas at home - a plastic replica and one made of chocolate.

Mr Beaufoy said the entire cast had been genuinely thrilled at people's reaction to Slumdog Millionaire.

The film tells of a boy from the slums of Mumbai, India, who wins TV's “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?”

Slumdog Millionaire has already won four Golden Globe awards including a screenplay award for Mr Beaufoy.

It has received 10 nominations for the Oscars, with the ceremony due to be held in Hollywood on February 22.

Mr Beaufoy, whose parents live in Glusburn, first achieved fame as writer of the hit film comedy The Full Monty.

His subsequent films include Blow Dry - set during a Keighley hairdressing competition - and Yasmin, which was filmed in Keighley.