The Black Country goes to Hollywood!

Walsall animator Leo's film is shortlisted for international cinema award

- By GAVIN JONES

WE'RE sure you'll recognise Billy the Wolf and Richmond the Pig - not only do they appear in regular cartoons drawn exclusively for the Bugle by artist and animator Leo Wright, but last year they featured in a handmade stop-motion film.

Leo, from Walsall, was invited to make the movie at Aardman Studios in Bristol, the home of Wallace and Gromit. It was a modern sequel to the age-old story of 'The Three Little Pigs' but was set in an industrial Black Country.

The film has been going down a storm on the international film festival circuit, but things have just got even better. Out of 11,750 entries, The Big Bad Wolf has been selected as one of just five animations to be shortlisted for the Sony Future Film-maker Awards. Leo is still pinching himself, as he told the Bugle ...