It's the silver screen for Preston and Leyland as it provides backdrop for new zombie action-horror film Redcon-1

Leyland-born Mark Strange has acted in, produced, and written new action-horror film Redcon-1 which was partly filmed in his South Ribble home town (Photos by Zak Chowdhury)

Actor and martial arts expert Mark Strange, from Leyland, is starring in new action-horror film Redcon-1, something he said will “put Leyland on the map”.

Mark, 44, said: “It’s gone better than we every could have expected.

“Some of the films best zombie moments are shot in Leyland so its great.”

Director Chee Keong Cheung, from Lancaster

The film tracks eight soldiers sen on a suicide mission after the UK is ‘brought to its knees’ due to a zombie apocalypse born in London.

Filming of the new independent production brought director Chee Keong Cheung, from Lancaster, to the Moss Side area of Leyland as well as Red Scar in Preston with Mark and the cast and crew.

The footage shot in Leyland saw hundreds of extras dressed up as zombies swarm Moss Side.

Chee said: “One of the big things with Mark being from Leyland was the community element and community support.

“We spoke to a few of the businesses in the town and invited people to join in as zombie extras.”

Mark, who studied at Worden High School, added: “We had hundreds of extras from Leyland the support was brilliant.”

A special showing is coming to Vue Preston at The Capital Centre retail park in Walton-le-Dale on Tuesday, October 9, where Chee, Mark and the cast will be doing a Q&A with the public.

“We want to thank the people who took part in the film,” Chee explained.

“We really wanted to put it on the big screen for everyone to see.”

The film is also being shown with a post-screening Q&A at Vue Bolton at Middlebrook Leisure Park on Saturday, October 6, at Odeon Blackpool on Sunday, October 7 and at Vue Lancaster on Thursday, October 18.

The film follows on from Mark’s last film ‘Adam Joan’, a dark thriller which also came to Vue Cinema in Walton-le-Dale in October 2017.

As for Mark, his career has seen him work on two feature films with Jackie Chan in Hong Kong as well as stunt and fight work on Batman Begins and The Last Samurai.

Away from the big screen, he is a fight co-ordinator television series like Coronation Street.

He also appeared in the critically acclaimed Sky One drama ‘Lucky Man’ as a cage fighter.

For information on the showings across Lancashire visit the film website at http://redcon1film.co.uk/