LANCASTER and the surrounding district is set for a starring role in a new British film.

And, according to the group set up to promote filming in the area, it could be the first of several productions to use the district as a backdrop.

Former St Martin's college student Simon Potthast is shooting his film, provisionally called 'The Sleeper' in the city this week.

The eight day shoot began last Friday and used various locations around the city centre, as well as Jubilee Tower and Kirby Lonsdale.

The film is loosely based around real events at a stag party attended by Simon, which lead to a weekend of strange incidents.

The area has already been immortalised in celluloid, with a number of films, including Laurence Olivier's 'The Entertainer' and, most famously 'Brief Encounter' being filmed locally.

The Lancashire Film and Television Commission is now seeking to bring back the glory days of the past and promote the area as an ideal backdrop for major productions.

The commission's director, David Nelson, said: "I am very glad that Lancaster is to have this starring role and I hope it will encourage other film and TV producers to consider this part of the country.

"We are always keen to promote any part of Lancashire and will continue to 'sell' the often breathtaking and unusually varied landscape that we have here."

Council economic development committee chair Cllr Paul Morris added: "This is just a start but if we can build on it the film industry could bring real benefits to this area.

"We need to promote Lancaster District as a location for film and television, in much the way we do to attract new companies."