A feature film, shot in and around the Dales and featuring local actors, is to go on tour across all 15 national parks in the UK.

Lad, A Yorkshire Story will also be shown at film festivals in Texas, Hollywood and Munich.

It has already won the Golden Oosikar – the main prize – at the Anchorage International Film Festival.

The 90-minute film was written and directed by former Austwick man Dan Hartley and is about 13-year-old Tom Proctor, whose life falls apart when his dad dies.

After Tom gets caught stealing a tractor and spreading manure over a bank, the youngster is given community service with national park warden Al Thorpe and the pair develop a strong friendship.

“It’s a film that really tells life as it is in the Dales,” said Dan.

Much of the story is based around things that happened in Dan’s own life. As a youngster, Dan struck up a friendship with real-life Yorkshire Dales warden Al Boughen, who passed away in 2010.

In the film, Al is played by Rathmell’s Alan Gibson and the youngster, Tom, is played by Settle College pupil Bretten Lord, also of Rathmell.

“I felt it was essential to give the film an authentic and contemporary voice and so I used people from the community who had never acted before and used role play and workshops to devise the script,” said Dan. “The result, I think, is a film that is both honest and inspirational.

“The Dales is quite simply one of the most beautiful places in the country and it was a privilege to capture both the stunning landscape and the strong sense of community that thrives there.”

The film will have a special showing at an invitation-only event at Skipton’s Plaza Cinema on Wednesday before it goes on tour, starting with a screening at Victoria Hall, Settle, next Thursday, March 28, at 7.45pm. Other local venues include Bentham on April 19 and Clapham on April 27.

The film will also be shown in Windermere (Lake District), Hexham (Northum-berland), Stirling (Loch Lomond), Aboyne (Cairn-gorms), Scarborough (North York Moors), Bakewell (Peak District), Norwich (The Broads), Brockenhurst (New Forest), Winsford (Exmoor) and Brynaman (Brecon Beacons).

Venues have yet to be confirmed for Pembrokeshire, Snowdonia and Dartmoor.

For more details, visit ladayorkshirestory.com