Gillian's film puts forest on map

Midlands movie fans might recognise several areas near Bewdley which were used to film Straightheads back in November 2005.

The X-Files actress spent three weeks working in the Wyre Forest woods at Button Oak and Kinlet.

The movie was part-funded by the Birmingham-based Screen West Midlands and the UK Film Council and will be shown in 200 cinemas nationwide. Screen West Midlands pumped £300,000 into the movie which had a £1.8 million budget.

Directed by Dan Reed the film also features Football Factory and Mean Machine star Danny Dyer and Holby City star Anthony Calf in the leading roles.

A huge entourage of stage trucks and catering vans moved into Button Oak filming the movie before moving on to Sturt Common in Kinlet.

Anderson even enjoyed a dram of whisky in the Button Oak pub car park where some of the crew set up camp.

Straightheads is a fast-paced thriller with an 18 certificate. Anderson plays a businesswoman who returns to the forest where she played as a child but is subjected to a terrifying experience.

Anderson plays Alice and Danny Dyer plays Adam.

They return from an exhilarating night of partying and speed down a wooded and desolate road near Kinlet that catapults them both into a fateful collision and a brutal and unprovoked attack which leaves them both emotionally and physically scarred.

She then plots revenge against her attackers with her boyfriend's help.

Screen West Midlands spokeswoman Kate Brannan said: "The movie is very exciting and I'm sure it will be very successful.

"It is one of the biggest projects we have been involved with and we're really looking forward to it hitting the big screen. Local people may recognise some of the places and buildings in the film. I'm sure it will put the Wyre Forest on the map and could create quite a bit of interest in the place."