Warrington sculptor wins Oscar for Frankenstein
ReutersA sculptor from Warrington has won an Oscar after he created the monster in the Frankenstein film.
Mike Hill took to the stage at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles to accept the award for best make-up and hair styling on director Guillermo del Toro's film.
The 56-year-old make-up artist said it was "fantastic" and thanked the director for making "his dream project, our dream project".
The former roofer had previously told the BBC how he used to collect clay for his masks from canal banks in Warrington when aged five.
Hill also praised Australian actor Jacob Elordi who played the monster in the film after he took out a piece of paper from his suit to read out his thanks.
He said "my mate" Elordi "sat for 400 hours in the makeup chair during filming".
Hill accepted the award alongside makeup artist Jordan Samuel and hairstylist Cliona Furey.
He previously said his "passion" had been making models from a very young age, and told BBC Breakfast: "When I was a little boy, about five-years old, I would walk to the canal.
"I would dig under the dirt - I don't know how I knew this - to get to the clay.
"And then I would make a menagerie of these creatures - Frankensteins, King Kongs and Wolf Men.
"Since I can remember, I've been into this stuff."
Hill got his big break in his 20s when he was recruited by Jeremy Beadle to make disguises for his hidden camera TV show Beadles About.
He moved to Los Angeles 20 years ago and del Toro became a regular customer for his monster designs.
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