OSCAR-winning Hollywood director Steven Spielberg this week told the Times he had been stunned by the beauty of Dartmoor during this summer's filming of his new movie, War Horse.

Afterworks Ltd spent several weeks filming in the Meavy area for the film, adapted from West Devon author Michael Morpurgo's novel.

The company, in a letter to the paper, said the shoot had been 'incredibly successful — and every member of our substantial crew has commented on what a great experience the shoot on Dartmoor has been'.

Steven Spielberg said of the experience: 'I have never before, in my long and eclectic career, been gifted with such an abundance of natural beauty as I experienced filming War Horse on Dartmoor.

'And, with two-and-a half weeks of extensive coverage of landscape and skies, I hardly scratched the surface of the visual opportunities that were offered to me.'

A spokesman on behalf of the cast and crew said: 'We faced many logistical challenges working in the narrow lanes and villages on Dartmoor with our extensive film unit.

'The patience and support of the local community was critical in allowing us to safely and quickly move from place to place in search of the best shots and the best light to shoot them.

'As you can imagine the weather was also a constant concern, but it seemed that at every turn we had the right conditions to complement the scenes we were shooting.

'The programme of restorations at Ditsworthy Warren is well underway and within a few months there should be little or no sign that a large film unit had set up operations in such a beautiful part of Devon.

'We wanted to thank all the residents of Sheepstor and Meavy and the surrounding communities on Dartmoor for their support throughout our stay in Devon, without their help, co-operation and patience we would not have been able to achieve so much in such a short space of time.'

War Horse tells the moving tale of a Devon horse sold into the cavalry and shipped to France during world war one — and the journey of his young owner in his efforts to bring him home.

It has already been adapted as a hugely successful West End play.