A HOST of Black Country talent turned out to join celebrities Les Dennis and Sally Lindsay on screen in a Halesowen film-maker’s latest charity project.

Following the success of his short film Expresso which he made for Macmillan Cancer Support - Kevin Powis of Last Independent Films was this week back on set, filming his latest screen offering Waiting in Rhyme.

And the 15-minute movie - which will again give Macmillan a boost - stars TV funnyman Les Dennis, former Coronation Street stars Sally Lindsay and Geoffrey Hughes among a host of well-known names; plus aspiring actors and film-makers from Stourbridge and Halesowen.

Told completely in rhyme and inspired by a host of poems submitted by members of the public earlier in the year - the film is set in a GP’s waiting room.

And it sees former Family Fortunes host Les Dennis playing a man waiting to find out if he has cancer.

The 54-year-old TV veteran has backed the project from the start - since meeting producer Martin Nigel Davey last year.

Speaking during filming at Hillscourt Conference Centre in Rednal, near Birmingham, on Monday, he told the News: “I’m really excited, I think its going to be a great film.

“We have a great cast of actors and a great crew - they have put together a fantastic project.

“Everybody’s lives are touched by cancer at some point, this is a chance to give something back to a charity that does so much good work.”

Sally Lindsay, who played barmaid Shelley in Corrie, stars as a comic receptionist who is more interested in her boyfriend than her patients.

She added: “Les Dennis is a good friend of mine and he said it was a fantastic charity and a fantastic film.

“I saw the script and thought it was wonderful.”

Other popular names making an appearance included Dani Harner - who plays popular teen character Tracy Beaker - and Finty Williams, the actress daughter of Dame Judi Dench; who - like Geoffrey Hughes - also appeared in Expresso, which starred screen legend Sir Norman Wisdom.

Filming finished on Wednesday and Kevin said he hopes to have the film completed by November and ready for release as a DVD at Christmas.

He said: “Everything has gone to plan, you could not ask for more from the people involved.

“I have looked at some of the scenes so far and they look great.”

Steve Dourass, fundraising manager at Macmillan, added: “The film will raise a lot of money because of the type of people involved.

“People will talk about the film and they will talk about Macmillan.”

For more information or to sponsor the film visit www.poetryfilm.com