A MOMENTOUS world premiere was staged in Blackburn last night. Footage from the turn of the 20th century, unearthed from a Northgate basement in 1994, was screened publicly for the first time in 100 years. Reporter IAN SINGLETON was among the 992 people in King George's Hall, Blackburn, who watched some of the world's earliest known film footage bring history to life. . .

THE British Film Institute (BFI), had described the find of the footage as "the film equivalent of Tutankhamen's treasure".

And that lofty comparison seemed to weigh heavily on the audience as they took to their seats in a hushed manner, almost as if they were entering a church.

The low hum of chatter became silence as the lights went out and the film began, 992 pairs of eyes united as one, mesmerised by the images on the 40 foot screen.

We felt a responsibility. As the first to see the public screening of this footage in 100 years, it seemed essential to give our respect by focusing unblinkingly.

In return, the collection of short films of everyday people's lives from around 1900 did not disappoint.

To me, local pictorial history books have always shown the late Victorian and Edwardians to be lifeless people by their rigid poses for the camera.

But last night I saw these images three dimensionally and a whole new side to our ancestors became clear.

It showed they were actually full of life - with their humour coming through the strongest.

The backdrop was of horse-drawn carriages, trams, mills and cobbled streets. Clothing was black suits and caps for men and white pinafores for woman.

But take away these cosmetic objects and one thing shone starkly through the years - they were just like us.

Take, for instance, the football supporter who, at the sight of the camera, waved his cap around, pulling an array of silly faces with a cheeky glint in his eye.

Or the two young boys running along Morecambe sea front, waving and trying desperately to stay in shot as the camera moved swiftly on a horse-drawn carriage.

We watched in awe as the footage showed us a rugby match, a Burnley v Manchester United football game, mill workers in dirty clothes, coal miners with black faces, giddy school children and town centres in bizarre horse-drawn rush hours.

Back in the 1900s, these films of everyday scenes were shown in special booths at funfairs.

In the days before Hollywood and television, people loved to go along and try to spot themselves or friends on screen.

Two Blackburn pioneers of film, Sagar Mitchell and James Kenyon, made a living out of this line of work.

However in 1913 their business went bust after being hit by the growing popularity of fictional films.

Some 81 years later their old shop in Northgate was being renovated when workmen found 800 long-forgotten film reels containing 28 hours of footage, in three air-tight cylinders.

They were handed to Blackburn optician and local film enthusiast Peter Worden, who donated them to the BFI.

After a £1million, four-year restoration by the BFI and Sheffield University, the footage has been made into a three-part BBC documentary, the first episode of which was screened last night.

In addition, the show I saw last night will now be taken to theatres around the country.

Amanda Nevill, director of the BFI, said: "This was an incredibly exciting and significant film discovery and we are immensely lucky to have such a clear, information and entertaining visual record of life in Edwardian times."

The Mayor of Blackburn, Coun David Foster, was among the King George's audience. He said: "This is something for Blackburn to be proud of.

"It was amazing seeing 100 years ago in such clarity.

"It is a pity Sagar and Mitchell did not last or we could have been the Hollywood of Britain!"