75 years today, 'The Hobbit' was first published. Its' author, JRR Tolkien, spent much of his childhood in the West Midlands, areas of which he used as inspiration for his writing.
It is thought that Tolkien was influenced by places like Sarehole Mill and the nearby Moseley bog in Birmingham.
The first of three films based on the novel is due to be released at the end of this year.
Pictures courtesy of Warner Brothers via YouTube.