A former Kent schoolboy who picked up a BAFTA at the weekend is favourite to take home an Oscar next month.

James Friend scooped the Best Cinematography prize for his role in Netflix's anti-war epic All Quiet On The Western Front.

The cinematographer grew up in Maidstone and attended Brunswick House junior school in Leafy Lane, before going on to Sutton Valence School just outside of the town.

It was a successful night for James and his colleagues as the film won seven of the awards it was nominated for.

He has worked with film legends such as Sir Ian McKellen, Tim Roth and Benedict Cumberbatch as well as on a range of movies and series, including the upcoming Luther: The Movie, Disney+'s Willow, Sky Atlantic's Patrick Melrose and BBC's Silent Witness and The Musketeers.

The Maidstone man previously named a little town near Sevenoaks as the "weirdest" place he has ever filmed.

When asked about the oddest place he has ever shot, he told British Cinematographer: "A fully-functioning Wild West town in rural Kent called Laredo. People would live there in cowboy costumes for extensive periods of time with no electricity."

All Quiet On The Western Front, which is directed by German filmmaker Edward Berger and is based on the 1929 novel of the same name by Erich Maria Remarque, also claimed wins in categories including best director, sound and original score.

The film was closely followed in award wins by The Banshees Of Inisherin which picked up outstanding British film, best supporting actor and supporting actress for Barry Keoghan and Kerry Condon respectively, and original screenplay.