LIGHTS, camera, action! Former Blandford girl Victoria Wood will come under the spotlight when she helps promote the British film industry at a star-studded event in London next month.

Victoria, 25, is co-director and co-ordinator of the Notting Hill Film Festival - the first major independent UK festival of its kind.

The festival runs for one week starting on Monday October 11 and with a line-up of big names including Stephen Fry (Bright Young Things), Michael Winner (Death Wish) and Craig Armstrong (Moulin Rouge and Love Actually) due to attend, she hopes it will pull in the crowds.

"The fact that these people have offered their support is brilliant," she said.

"UK film is one of the few industries which has an unbridled potential for success and it's not tapped yet. We are saying that we can tap that potential and make it a big competitor in the global market for film.

"We are terrified here in the UK of promoting ourselves but we hope this event will do just that."

Events planned during the week include seminars, screenings and premieres, including that of Collusion starring Leslie Phillips and Imogen Stubbs.

Victoria, who attended Blandford School and university in London, said she has always been passionate about film-making, although she originally wanted to become an actress. "As I got older I realised it wasn't my strength and then about a year ago I had the opportunity to start working on the festival," she said.

For more information about the Notting Hill Film Festival visit the festival's website www.nottinghillff. co.uk

First published: September 28