Television and film star Stephen Fry has donated 'thousands of pounds' to a West Norfolk group of horror film-makers after being impressed with their work.

Ben Franklin, producer and editor at Bloody Cuts, said the group received a donation from the actor, who lives in west Norfolk, on Sunday morning.

Mr Fry, who grew up near Reepham and is a director of Norwich City Football Club, used social network website Twitter to reveal his intentions to help fund the group's future projects.

He tweeted: 'Have popped a little of something in your hat. Keep up the good work.'

Mr Franklin, who grew up in King's Lynn but now lives in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, said: 'I don't want to give out an exact figure but his donation was in the thousands rather than the hundreds of pounds.

'This couldn't have come at a better time for us because when you make short films, it's money coming out of your back pocket and our pockets aren't that deep. We can now crack on making more short films and carry on what we have a passion for.'

He continued: 'I got an email at about 2am to say we had received some money from Stephen Fry and I couldn't believe it.

'To get any kind of donation is fantastic but to get support from a celebrity, who also lives in Norfolk, is even better and has given us a little exposure.'

The group has thanked the former Blackadder star on Twitter.

Mr Franklin, 31, continued: 'The great thing about social network websites like Twitter is that it is pretty much open market to contact people who you might have had trouble getting in touch with.'

Mr Franklin, who works in corporate video in London, said the donation from Mr Fry came the same day they launched their latest movie Mother Died. The majority of filming took place in King's Lynn but the group has also filmed in Clenchwarton, Leziate and Middleton previously.