This year's Glasgow Film Festival has been praised as the "best ever" with audience figures over 40,000 for a second year.

The festival closed tonight with the premiere Force Majeure, followed by the announcement of the inaugural Audience Award for best film by a first-time director won by Radiator, a low-budget British film created by Tom Browne.

The film was shot in his parents' house in Cumbria and tells the story of hoarders Leonard and Maria.

More than 1,100 votes were cast in the award and organisers hope it can help take the film to a wider audience.

Writer and director Browne said: "Radiator has an unfashionable theme and was made on a tiny budget.

"Unsurprisingly it is taking a while for the film to find a place within the film industry so to receive this award is very significant for Radiator's future.

"We had a great time in Glasgow, we were treated so kindly and were touched by the engagement of the audiences evident in the Q and A sessions.'

There were 174 events at the festival this year, including 11 World Premieres, 33 UK Premieres and 65 Scottish Premieres.

The number is 23 less than last year's festival but more than 40,000 tickets were sold, organisers said.

Festival co-director Allison Gardner said: "This year might just have been the best Glasgow Film Festival ever.

"It's certainly been the most fun I've ever had. From ballroom dancing to roller-skating, from coming together in rapt appreciation at classic festival films like Wild Tales or Mommy, giving a standing ovation to legendary Scottish writer William McIlvanney, or queuing for tickets for the Internet Cat Video Festival, our audiences have been generous, committed, passionate and open-minded.

"We're also absolutely delighted that we've broken 40,000 admissions for a second year running, despite working with a smaller programme. Thanks so much to our wonderful audience: you make all the hard work worth it."

The 2016 festival will run from February 17 to 28.