A SOUTH Lakes village hall was transformed into a film set for the day for a Lake District-set Bigfoot comedy.

Extras from near and far joined professional actors in High Newton where film student Robert Luke, from nearby Ayside, was directing his debut picture Sasquatch.

Robert,who is studying Digital Film Production in London, wrote the script with friend and co-producer Bernie Paget last year, ‘because we wanted to start making our first feature film before we turned 20’.

Sasquatch is about two young men who trick a northern community into believing Bigfoot lives in the area. The locals fall for it and hire a hunter to kill the beast.

Robert said: “Bernie and I got the idea when we went on holiday to California and spent half the time watching Sasquatch documentaries rather than going out and seeing the sight. I’m from south Cumbria and I thought this would be the perfect place to set the story.”

Robert and Bernie financed the film through crowdfunding site Indiegogo – and raised more than their target of £8,000.

The film stars Scottish actor John Murtagh, whose credits include Braveheart, Rob Roy and Beautiful Creatures.

John likened the film to Simon Pegg comedy Shaun of the Dead, saying: “I think it’s great, and I love this area so filming here is fantastic.

“I got involved with it through a friend who said since I was living up north now (Birkdale, Merseyside) would I be interested in doing a film with a first-time director – I thought it would be fun.”

The village hall was also packed with extras who answered an appeal on The Westmorland Gazette’s website. Among the extras were Sally Sherrington, 54, who lives near Chorley but has a caravan in Grange-over-Sands.She said: “I thought I’d come along and see what it’s like - I’m really enjoying it so far.”

Megan Troughton, 21, of Whitehaven, decided to bring along a friend from York University Leila Sen, 22, as part of her visit to Cumbria.