A COURTROOM drama was played out in the centre of Bolton . . . but no-one ended the day behind bars.

A film crew turned up to shoot at the Masonic Hall, in Institute Street, for a new BBC drama to be shown on television.

The cast of New Street Law - which includes John Hannah, of The Mummy and Four Weddings and A Funeral, John Thomson, of Cold Feet, and Don Warrington, of Rising Damp - set up camp in Churchbank, Bolton, for a day's filming on Wednesday.

While much of the eight-episode series has been filmed at the Web Film Studios in Little Hulton, the cast used the Freemasons' Hall for interior shots.

A spokesman for the Red Production Company, which is making the drama, said: "The programme will broadcast on Thursday, March 23 and we hope it will run and run.

"It centres around John Hannah who plays a barrister called Jack Roper while John Thomson is well cast as a quirky barrister.

"During the last week we have been filming on location. We used the St John Street Chambers in Manchester, for exterior shots and we've been to a psychiatric hospital in Rochdale too.

"But this is the first time we have been out filming in Bolton."

The series also features Les Dennis in a cameo role and Paul Freeman, who was in the Indiana Jones trilogy.

Wayne Hulmes, caretaker at the Masonic Hall, said: "They have been using one of the building's classrooms as a hospital meeting room.

"There's a scene in the drama where the lawyers meet in a hospital meeting room, but there wasn't a suitable room at the hospital in Rochdale.

"Ours must have an authentic feel for them with its magnolia walls and old fashioned look."