THE last film to star the late actor Edward Woodward was set in Cornwall and told the story of an eccentric vicar who alienated his congregation and ended up preaching to cardboard cut-outs.

Jane Nancarrow, from St Stephens, Launceston, was cast as the churchwarden's wife in the production and spent three days with Mr Woodward during the filming.

The film, 'A Congregation of Ghosts,' was written by Mark Collicott, from Wadebridge, who was determined to get Mr Woodward to play Rev Frederick Densham.

Jane became involved with the film, after she heard the film-makers were looking for "a lady of a certain age."

A photo of Jane was emailed to Mark, who realised he actually knew her, as she used to act with his mum in plays in Wadebridge.

Jane told the 'Post': "He said 'Yep, I'll have her.' It was just a fluke but Mark really wanted to use local people."

Andrew Dinner from Boyton also played one of the people on the church council.

'A Congregation of Ghosts' is set on Bodmin Moor and is about the eccentric Rev Densham who was appointed as Rector of Warleggan Church in 1931. He soon began upsetting his parishioners who objected to his approach to parish matters.

He also alienated local farmers by raising a litter of puppies and allowing them to run free on the moor and worry sheep.

His congregation vowed never to return to the church while Rev Densham was in charge, and he is said to have carried on preaching to a set of cardboard cut-outs in the absence of real parishioners, before he died in 1953.

Jane plays Mary Tredinnick, wife of the churchwarden, Henry Tredinnick.

She was involved in three days of filming — at Warleggan for the church scenes; at St Breward and at Altarnun, where the last day of filming was carried out in the church hall.

She was full of admiration for the late actor, and said: "He was fantastic. When we did the scenes in the church, he's just got such an amazing voice. His whole presence was wonderful. It made you tingle a bit."

"It was just a wonderful experience to do it," added Jane, who recalled that Mr Woodward wasn't very well when the filming took place.

"His portrayal of this man who was pretty much misunderstood was amazing."

Jane watched the premiere of the film in Truro, and said: "For any fans of Edward Woodward, when this comes out, it's really, really moving."

No date has yet been set for the general release of the film.