Preened and coiffed glitterati mingled with local folk at Keighley's event of the year.

Hairdressing, hairstyles and glamour took centre stage for the 'Blow Dry' extravaganza at the Picture House, on North Street.

Picture House owner Charles Morris and the Keighley News bagged the venue for the European premiere of the film, based on local man Simon Beaufoy's script, after making representations to the film distributors.

The film, exploring the bizarre cut-throat world of hairdressing competitions, is set in Keighley but filmed in Batley and Bradford.

Once the decision was made to premiere in Keighley, Buena Vista International went into action transforming North Street into tinsel town.

To add to the excitement of the evening a real hairdressing competition was organised, and an after show party booked at the town's Korner Bar.

Leading stars of the film Alan Rickman and Natasha Richardson could not attend because of other work commitments, but actor Bill Nighy and director Paddy Breathnach turned out.

They conducted TV and press interviews before the film and mingled with lesser mortals at the after show party.

Other VIPs included teenage star Chris Smith (Emmerdale's Robert Sugden) Keighley MP Ann Cryer and a Sean Connery look-alike and BBC weatherman Paul Hudson.

Before the curtain rose Bradford's Lady Mayoress Barbara Ball's speech stunned the cinema audience when she said she "didn't know this theatre was open."

She continued: "When I found out I was going to a premiere I hadn't heard of it.

"I didn't think anybody would make a film about hairdressers."

Proceeds from the show will go to the Lord Mayor's appeal to help the neurology units at Airedale Hospital and St Luke's at Bradford.