"This competition's going to change the face of this town," bellowed grumpy-faced Warren Clarke as he stormed through the doors of City Hall, Bradford.

TV star Clarke is playing the fictitious Lord Mayor of Keighley in a new £4million film comedy, Never Better, being filmed locally.

The film is penned by Simon Beaufoy, who wrote the smash-hit The Full Monty, and also stars Alan Rickman.

And it was Lights, Camera, Action as City Hall was transformed into a small corner of Hollywood for the day.

Councillors gave way to cameramen, clapper-boards and costume ladies.

The crew were filming a pivotal scene where Clarke announces that Keighley has been chosen to host the national hairdressing championships - to a less-than-enthusiastic response from the local media.

And that's when Clarke delivers the line: "This competition will change the face of this town."

The film's executive producer, Batley-born Ruth Jackson, of West Eleven Films, took time out from her busy filming schedule to speak to the Telegraph & Argus. "I'm very keen on Yorkshire. Everybody's been extremely helpful and supportive and we've all enjoyed filming here," she said.

"Yorkshire's famous for it's hospitality and directness and that's what we've got. It has made our jobs a lot easier.

"I would be happy to make every film here in Yorkshire."

She said that she was hoping that Never Better would recreate the success of The Full Monty but was not counting her chickens yet.

"Film making is a lottery," she said. "You have no idea how things are going to turn out until they are finished but Simon has written a brilliant script so we're hopeful."

Yorkshire screen commissioner Liz Rymer, who was instrumental in bringing the film to Bradford, said: "I jolly well hope that this will be as successful as the Full Monty.

"Yorkshire is one of the most popular locations for filming in the UK and this could put Keighley on the map."

Film extra Lindsey Trousdale, 18, from Ilkley, who has just left school, said she had been having a great time on set.

"It's been a fantastic experience. Everyone's been really friendly but it's really organised and everyone's working as one big team."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.