A PRESTATYN production company is 'kicking off' with its latest film tackling bigotry and bullying in football.

Filming is set to to begin this year in Prestatyn for Canned Media's film Kicking Off, starring Mark 'Little Mark' Holland of the History Channel's Pawn Stars UK.

Following the fictional side Heaton Stanley - named Lee's grandfather Stanley Heaton as well as a nod to infamous club Accrington Stanley - the film is comedy drama the world's unluckiest grassroots junior football team.

Director Lee Howard said: "The story came from my initial involvement with junior football club Prestatyn Athletic, and I noticed that with the drama that unfolds both on and off the pitch each Saturday afternoon, there’s a film in this.

"When we started looking in to it, it's never really been done like this focused purely on the day to day of British grassroots football."

Joining Mr Holland is Prestatyn county councillor Paul Penlington as the downtrodden under 16's club new chairman Jim Davidson, who decides enough is enough in the team's final year without winning a single game.

The film also stars much of cast of Lee Howard's 2017 feature film Womble -which is currently in post-production - including lead Tom Spencer.

Rhyl Journal:

Secretary of Prestatyn Athletic Ian Price, as well as a producer at Canned Media, has put his years of experience in grassroots football into writing the script for the two-hour feature film, as well as guiding Mr Howard about the finer points of filming the beautiful game.

The majority of shooting will take place in North Wales, with the main focus being at the football pitches a Y Morfa.

Mr Howard added: "There will be more guest stars in the film, but I can’t reveal anything at this point until the contracts are signed. It's an absolute legend of sport, and it will be fantastic."

"The film has also already attracted sponsorship including premier kit maker Pendle, the biggest in the UK, who will be producing replica kits for the fantasy football club.

Filming is expected to start in April, and a promotional, 30 second trailer and eight minute short film have been released as part of a crowdfunding campaign.

To view the trailer and short film, or to donate, visit indiegogo.com/projects/kicking-off-film#/.