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Two Bolton actors are showing off their football skills in a musical version of hit film Bend it like Beckham.

Irvine Iqbal and Daniel Bolton have both been cast in the West End musical, which is currently being shown at Phoenix Theatre in London – but only found out they were brought up down the road from each other weeks before rehearsals started.

Mr Iqbal, from Lostock, has been cast as Teetu's dad and is cover for Mr Bhamra, while Mr Bolton, a former Rivington and Blackrod pupil, is playing cover coach.

The play is loosely based on the 2002 film of the same name, staring Parminder Nagra as football made Jess, and Keira Knightley as Jules.

Mr Irvine, aged 37, who attended Bolton School, said: "It's very different to normal musicals – it's not a conversational musical, it's along the lines of Billy Elliot.

"It's great that two of us are from Bolton – and it's great to be working with Daniel. He's new to the game so it's his first West End show. We've become really good friends. It's almost unheard of that two people are cast in the same show from the same area."

The production, which opened on June 24, is set to run at the theatre for the next 18 months.

Mr Bolton, aged 24, from Horwich, said: "We both met for the first time at a party before we started rehearsing and Irvine asked what my name was. He laughed when I told him my surname and said he was from Bolton – and I told him I was too.

"It's been fantastic so far – plus we have had some fantastic reviews from critics. The first round of auditions was basically football training, and to watch a group of dancers try and do keepie uppie was hilarious. Some of them had never even kicked a football before. Thankfully I played in a football team so I was ok.

"There isn't much football playing in the show, but I think they just wanted actors who are comfortable with kicking one just in case."

To find out more or to book tickets, visit benditlikebeckhamthemusical.co.uk.