AN actor has made his award-winning play set on the streets of Little Hulton into a gritty feature film.

Reuben Johnson, aged 25, wrote Territory while he was at drama school, before staging it at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and then at The Lowry, Salford Quays.

Mr Johnson, who appeared in BBC drama Prisoners’ Wives in 2012, said: “The play connected with so many people.

“We decided to make a feature film of the play which is now complete. We filmed it just over two years ago, in 2012.

“We did it on a very low budget. We did the whole thing for under £20,000.

“We tried to achieve the best quality as cheaply as possible. We pulled in a lot of favours.”

Mr Johnson went to Harrop Fold School, the result of a merger between Little Hulton Community School and Walkden’s Joseph Eastham High.

At the age of 17, he won a place at the Arts Educational Schools (ArtsEd) in London.

During his second year, he wrote his debut play, Territory, which was shortlisted for the Alfred Fagon Award 2009 after a sell-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe.

He said: “We filmed a lot of it in Little Hulton, Salford and Old Trafford. It’s set in Little Hulton and it’s a Friday night.

“It’s a group of young lads just out, messing about in the woods, getting drunk.”

The story sees character Jamie return to Little Hulton after going to study at Oxford University and there is immediate tension with his pals, including Ashley, played by Mr Johnson.

He said: “The idea stemmed from my experiences, but obviously I was able to develop the character more and exaggerate certain things.

“I was an actor coming back, this guy is a musician.

“It’s not autobiographical, but I used my own experiences because that’s where I grew up and that’s what we did.”

Territory has been shown at film screenings in London and Manchester and is now available to rent or buy online.

Mr Johnson’s other plays through theatre company Box of Tricks include Wrecked, staged at The Lowry in 2012, said: “We are just excited for people to see it. Hopefully, it will get as big a reaction as the play did.”

To see the film, visit vimeo.com/ondemand/territory