FANS of horror were treated to a day of dreadful delights at a Bournemouth pub yesterday.

Famous names from scary movies shared their stories with wide-eyed residents at The Cinema Surgery Horror Spectacular held at the Winchester on Poole Hill.

Horror movie stars Caroline Munro, Damien Thomas and Emily Booth were on hand to meet thrilled fans and sell autographs at a TV and movie fair, while two of Caroline’s films were shown later on.

Star of Dracula AD 1972, Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter and Slaughterhouse High, Caroline said she loved meeting the fans.

“It makes everything I’ve done for the last 40 years seem all right.

“When times have been very difficult and I haven’t been working, it confirms that I did the right thing for me and people enjoy the work.”

She said she enjoyed being surprised by fans’ questions and found they knew more about her than she did.

Damien Thomas from North Dorset, who played Count Karnstein in the 1971 Hammer vampire film Twins of Evil, said he was happy to be at the event and had enjoyed his time with Hammer Films.

Among the visitors was B Jones, one of the organisers of the SF Ball, which is being held at Bournemouth’s Carrington House Hotel from February 7 to 9.

She said the celebrity guests were easy to chat to.

“These guys make it easy just to go up and say ‘I’m a big fan of yours and I really liked you in X’,” she said.

The event was organised by unemployed Gary Baxter, who was given the use of the pub for free. He has been speaking to a mentor at the Job Centre about setting up in the horror business.

“It would be nice to have a shop and an online business as well as going to other people’s events and having our own events,” he said.