A FILM studio and casting agency in Little Hulton is giving Hollywood a run for its money.

Lemon Casting Ltd has become one of the fastest growing casting agencies in the North-west.

It supplies hundreds of extras for film and television productions, as well as blockbuster movies, like the remake of Alfie starring Jude Law.

The firm has been running for five years and is based at Web Film Studios, Ravenscraig Road, Little Hulton.

The 15-acre movie village, nicknamed the Hollywood of the North by locals, already boasts three studios.

It makes it the biggest independent film studio outside London and with business booming, there are plans to build six more studios.

Earlier this year, the agency was used to film a drama called the Magnificent Seven, starring the Oscar-nominated actress Helena Bonham-Carter.

Director Steve McCarthy, who runs the business with his wife Andrea, is keen for locals to get a piece of the action.

Mr McCarthy said: "It's been an amazing year for us and we're having to work seven days a week to keep up with the demand from film and television companies for extras.

"We've got about 1,200 people on our books at the moment and we're always on the look out for more.

"A couple are under 16-years-old, but most of our talent are aged between 16 and 90 and they come from all walks of life housewives, policemen, gymnasts, grannies, magistrates, stand-up comedians, professional snooker players.

"People like the glamour and you can earn about £75 a day but there can be a lot of standing around.

"We provided the extras for a funeral scene in the remake of Alfie starring Jude Law, which was filmed at Agecroft Cemetery, Manchester and the taxi drivers, dog walkers, cyclists and police officers which were used in the film's street scenes and shot in the Northern Quarter.

"We've supplied extras for Coronation Street, Emmerdale, BBC1's hairdressing drama Cutting It, Channel Four's Shameless and Max And Paddy.

"People get addicted to doing it. I can't tell you how many times I've heard people say, 'I wish I'd started doing this 10 years ago.'

Mr McCarthy said: "We'll go out talent spotting but people can also send us a good quality head and shoulders shot with their details.

"We don't charge for people to get on our books and if we do take them on we provide a free induction training so they'll know what's expected of them on set and be familiar with all the terms they're going to need.

"Local people can't believe they've got this big film studio on their doorsteps. They've even started calling it the Hollywood of the North."

For further information about Lemon Casting Ltd, call Steve McCarthy on 07723 317489