A 12-year-old horror movie fan has started making his own scary films because he is too young to watch them in the cinema.
Gore enthusiast Ben Wallwork became interested in the genre when he started watching Doctor Who at six-years-old.
But after watching horror spoof Shaun of the Dead at 10-years-old he was hooked.
He now claims 80s slasher movies Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th and The Hills Have Eyes as some of his favourite films.
While viewers much older than him would be hiding behind the sofa, Ben revels in the macabre images of blood and murder – as he gets tips for creating his own films.
Mum, web designer Janet, said: “It sounds really bad that we allow our child to watch these films, as he is basically watching films that have an 18 certificate.
“But we always vet the films he watches and make sure that we watch them together.
“He’s really interested in how they are made, in the special effects and the clever cinematography.
“He has his favourite directors. He actually watches them with quite a critical eye.”
The film fan has made around 20 films of his own – quite often starring his dad, project architect Mark, 41.
He likes to create his own special effects and gets his 41-year-old mum involved in helping him with props.
Janet said: “I have been known to be stuffing tights with jelly before to make some intestines.”
One of Ben’s latest films, The Burger, is a gore fest in which a job at a fast food joint turns grotesque.
He writes all his own films, shooting and editing them on the iPad.
He has set up his own YouTube channel Horror Hardcore where you can see his movies and film reviews.
His favourite film of all time is dystopian Japanese thriller Battle Royale.
Ben, who also likes going out for walks and karate, said: “People are playing computer games that are much worse. I know this is fiction.
“I look at it as inspiration for films I’d like to make.
“I don’t think all horror is good but I like the music and the cinematography. I like the whole gothic, dark feel.”
Since his first films Ben has perfected his craft, settling on short, sharp three-minute movies.
He said: “When I started I had no idea about editing or pace so they were about 18 minutes long. They were very boring.”
He can often be seen out and about filming with his iPad and tripod in his home town in Huddersfield, West Yorks.
He said: “People wonder what you’re doing and think it’s quite strange.
“I act like there’s a creature coming towards me and obviously there’s nothing there.”
And although his family are really proud of what he does, little sister and My Little Pony fan Freya, eight, likes to keep her distance.
Mum-of-two, Janet said: “We have to watch films while Freya is in bed because she would be scared to death.
“You know you’re own child and we know Ben is views these films with a mature head on his shoulders, but Freya would be petrified.
“Both me and Mark grew up watching films like this. I remember watching Friday the 13th when I was about 10, so we see that it isn’t as bad as it sounds.
“I do not worry about the effects horror has on Ben as I feel he watches them in a controlled environment and comes from a very loving secure family.
“There might be dangers in watching such films if a child comes from a bad home and has a distorted view of what is right or wrong, but Ben knows this is fiction.
“He has been brought up to be compassionate and think of others.
“He knows the cruelty shown in these films is abhorrent in real life.
“The hardest thing for me is when I watch Ben filming and I see a scene where Mark is killing or eating Ben. That’s a bit too much.”
But Ben loves what he does and is hoping to get into special effects when he gets older.
He said: “Some people would like me to do something nicer but I think it’s brilliant.
“It is so much from the writing, to making the films and seeing a finished product.”