Movie stars to hit the Heights

HEIGHTS CHURCH - popular with film crews

AN iconic church set on a windswept Saddleworth hillside is to feature in a major new film starring an international celebrity cast.

Liam Neeson and Sigourney Weaver are among the headliners in dark fantasy “A Monster Calls”.

The film tells the story of a boy who seeks help from a monster to cope with his mother’s terminal illness.

Next month film crews will arrive at St Thomas’s Church at Heights, above Delph and the Royal Oak pub to film for several days.

The film is directed by Spanish-born JA Bayona, who made “The Impossible” about the repercussions of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Many of the film crew coming to Saddleworth speak no English.

Liam Neeson, who starred in “Schindler’s List” and a string of award-winning films, plays the monster’s voice, while actress Felicity Jones plays the boy’s mother.

Last year, Heights churchyard was the focus of blockbuster BBC adaption of Daphne du Maurier’s gothic novel, “Jamaica Inn”.

Over the years, the popularity of the location has brought a host of stars to share the delights of the pub, such as Steve Coogan and Jenny Agutter during filming for his comedy “The Parole Officer”.