Hundreds of people gathered to celebrate the homecoming of Alfred Hitchcock in a "spooky" graveyard film screening.

The first night of Hitchcock’s Home, organised as part of the Leytonstone Festival, attracted fans to St John’s Church in Church Lane to watch his 1954 classic ‘Dial M for Murder’ last night (July 16).

Hitchcock was born in 1899 at 517 High Road, Leytonstone, before going on to become one of the most distinguished directors in the history of cinema.

The first of three screenings, also had prizes for the best dressed fan, art exhibitions, impromptu theatrical recreations of Hitchcock films and lectures on the legacy of Leytonstone’s own ‘master of suspense’.

The sell-out crowd of 300 braved a thunderstorm in the middle of the film, which served to create 'the true Hitchcock atmosphere' that organiser Dee Wood wanted.

She said: “He was born here and I thought we just needed to do more to celebrate Hitchcock and what better place than in a spooky cemetery.

“Not a lot is done in Leytonstone to celebrate Hitchcock considering how famous he is, more people know about David Beckham.

“When he was growing up here, Waltham Forest was like the Hollywood of London it had some massive productions which helped him go on to become this seminal film director.

“It is not the visuals, but his sense of suspense that has had such an influence over modern films. The music makes the things that were scary 60 years ago just as chilling today.”

The Man Who Knew Too Much will be shown tonight (July 17) and The Lady Vanishes on Saturday (July 18) with tickets still available.