Bin films chart social history

Many of the films were thrown out by companies

A film festival has been held to celebrate quirky social history ranging from the transport of farm animals by train in the 1930s to pipe lines being laid under the English Channel

The Dustbin Film Festival featured many discarded industrial films, training films, movies of lumberjacks at work in the 1930s and old silent films of road repairs taking place in Bristol.

The films were mostly rescued from bins by enthusiasts who feel it is a shame to lose these documents of social history.

The event, held at Chipping Sodbury Town Hall on Saturday, attracted enthusiasts from across southern Britain.

Organiser Jim Wilkie became interested in the old films when his father began screenings more than 50 years ago.

"I always found them interesting as a boy and began to wonder if there were any still about," he said.

We have a film of one of the first take-offs of Concorde from Toulouse back in the 1960s Jim Wilkie

"The films are mostly discarded and have been thrown out by film companies and many people think that's a shame, so we rescue them and people do still like to see them."

Many would-be film directors attend the annual event in the hope of picking up classic tips for the future, although it seems some stand the test of time rather better than others.

"There is one health advisory film which always seems to have people laughing at it affectionately," said Mr Wilkie.

"We have a film of one of the first take-offs of Concorde from Toulouse, back in the 1960s."

Mr Wilkie said the length of film varied from about 10 minutes to slightly more than half hour.

"Last year despite packing 30 films into only 10 hours of viewing, the audience still had to leave over 100 films unseen," he said.