KEIGHLEY residents flocked to a casting session for a major movie due to be shot in the town.

More than 350 people went along on Saturday to vie for places as extras when The Limehouse Golem is filmed in Keighley.

The film, due to be made by a leading independent production company, is adapted from a book by leading author Peter Ackroyd and is set to star internationally-famous actor Alan Rickman.

The movie, which will receive a worldwide big-screen release, has been written by Jane Goldman, who was responsible for hit films Kingsman, Kickass and Stardust.

Guy Campbell, the crowd second assistant director of the film, said he was very pleased with the turnout at the Central Hall community centre in Alice Street.

He said: “We were very pleased. The Central Hall team were great – what a fantastic local facility.”

Mr Campbell said the production company is still looking for people aged over 16, with good availability during the next few weeks, to take part in crowd scenes.

He said: “We are particularly looking for 18 to 45-year-old men and women, some Asian men who are short-haired or bald, and a very tall man.”

Mr Campbell has worked on major films Far From The Madding Crowd, The Dark Knight Rises and Captain America.

He carried out the casting session in Keighley to recruit as many local people as possible as extras to give authenticity to the period drama.

He said: “The Limehouse Golem will have an international cinematic release, and while not a studio blockbuster, it has a great cast and is being made by a company with a strong slate of independent movies behind them.”

Dan Hall, enterprise development manager at Central Hall, said he had dealt with hundreds of people during the casting day.

He added: “It was mainly people from the town who had never had the opportunity before, rather than up-and-coming actors. They thought it sounded fun and interesting.

“There were people from every age bracket. You could imagine. There was some very colourful characters, and some mature people with spectacular beards!”

Anyone who could not make it to the casting session should e-mail their mobile phone number to keighley.extras@gmail.com.

They should send clear photos, both head and shoulders and full-length, along with as many measurements as possible, such as height, chest, waist, inside leg and shoe.