IT was all the rage in 1950s America, immortalised in classic scenes from films like hit musical Grease.

But now Hampshire residents will be able to enjoy a tearjerker or feel-good comedy from the comfort of their own cars with a drive-in cinema event.

The American craze is being brought to West End with a series of festive films held over two days in the car park of the Ageas Bowl cricket ground.

But it is hoped these drive-in cinema events next month will become a regular fixture from next year.

Drivers will park up and use a radio frequency on their stereo to listen to the films while getting soft drinks and popcorn served through the window.

Christmas-themed films to be screened are on December 7 Home Alone, Elf and Love Actually then Miracle on 34th Street and It’s a Wonderful Life the following day, with 220 cars allowed at each.

This follows in the footsteps of drive-in movie events run at a site close to the WestQuay Shopping Centre, between Portland Terrace and Harbour Parade back in 2009 and 2010.

Co-organiser Nathan Alexander said he had looked at running such an event a few years before in Bursledon but it had not come to anything.

But since then, he and partner Zoe Closs, 36, who are both huge fans of all things vintage, have started up a business, Yellow Vintage Ltd, based in Chandler’s Ford which runs vintage fairs at the Ageas Bowl, with the next one on November 30.

Nathan came up with the idea again after coming across a picture of a drive-in cinema while looking online for vintage 1950s cars.

With thousands of vintage fans following the business online, the Chandler’s Ford pair thought they could generate enough interest to make the scheme a success.

Having received permission from the council, more than 500 tickets have been sold so far.

Nathan, 35, said: “The uptake has been absolutely fantastic, it’s definitely going to be a permanent thing.”

Drive-in cinemas began in the United States in the 1930s but their heyday was the 1950s and 1960s when there around 4,000 of them across the country, although it has never had the same popularity here.

There are permanent drive-in cinemas in Manchester and Leeds and Nathan believes there are a handful of other such drive-in cinema events around the country each year.

The couple hope to run further events next year on Valentine’s Day, early summer, Hallowe’en, Christmas and beyond.

And if it proves popular they may also look to run a drive-in cinema in Southampton at the same venues used before.

“A lot of people like the idea of going to outdoor cinema and sitting in their car,” said Nathan.

“There’s not a lot of them around and I think people are just interested to do something new and fresh and it’s definitely something that is becoming more popular.”

The cinema will screen Home Alone at 12.30pm, Elf at 4.30pm and Love Actually at 8.30pm on December 7.

Then on Monday December 8 is Miracle on 34th Street at 4.45pm and It’s a Wonderful Life at 8.30pm.

Tickets, which are £25 per car, are available at yellowvintagemovies.bigcartel.com.