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Film crew came 'under attack' from louts

Gareth Parker
16/ 3/2005

TV HARD man Ray Winstone and former Corrie star Suranne Jones came under attack from louts when they were filming in Heywood last week, according to a Daily Mirror '3am' report.

The tabloid reported that the pair, in town to film new ITV detective drama Vincent, were in their trailer at Heywood railway station when a gang of around 15 louts attacked mobile homes set up to house the cast.

Windows were smashed and valuable film equipment wrecked.

However, Detective Sergeant Andy Butterworth of Heywood CID said: "We received a call at 8pm on Thursday that five youths were throwing stones at vehicles in the car park. We arrived there at 8.20pm and they had gone. There was no damage reported.

"We have had a lot of problems in that area with youths throwing stones at passing trains."

• JELLIED eels didn't even get a look in when TV and film star Ray Winstone came to Heywood.

The London actor, famous for his Cock-er-ney gangster roles, was in town to film a gritty new detective drama for ITV.

And after a morning in front of the camera on the windswept streets of Heywood, Ray was understandably feeling a touch 'Hank Marvin', so headed straight for well-known sandwich shop Greenwoods, to sample some hearty northern fayre.

Bobbie Croxton, who works at the Bridge Street shop, admitted to being a big fan of the actor, who among other roles infamously gave Henry VIII a Cockney accent in a recent TV production.

"I recognised him straight away, although some of the other girls didn't have a clue who he was. He came in with his driver who just had a can of pop. Ray said he was starving and tucked into one of our traditional Lancashire hot-pots."

The TV crew were in town for two days to film Vincent, which stars Ray as private investigator Vincent Gallagher and former Coronation Street actress Suranne Jones as his work partner Beth.

Flats on Fletcher Close as well as the bridge over the East Lancashire Railway were used as the backdrop for several scenes in the new four-part drama.

One of the crew told the Advertiser they chose Heywood because it provided a typical gritty northern backdrop.