THE Arctic blast which hit Huddersfield proved perfectly-timed for the makers of a sci-fi thriller – set in the former Soviet Union.

A 60-strong film crew has been based in the town for the last month.

Filming was centred at the North Light Film Studios in Brookes Mill, Armitage Bridge, and the snow came at just the right time.

Craig Conway, joint producer of the film Scintilla, said: “The snow was a help and a hindrance but it certainly makes the location more believable.

“If we’d have wanted snow for filming we’d never have had it.

“And what’s amazing is that there doesn’t seem to be that much snow around apart from Huddersfield.

“Maybe God is a sci-fi fan!”

The £1.3 million budget independent film, made by London-based Liquid Noise Films, has used several locations around the district.

These include Honley Wood, the undersoil heating plant rooms at the John Smith’s Stadium, an underground car park near the Lawrence Batley Theatre and Dewsbury Town Hall.

The film, starring John Lynch from Sliding Doors and Beth Winslet, sister of Kate, is about a group of mercenaries sent to retrieve data from an underground military base in the former Soviet Union.

When they get there they find a top secret bio-tech lab where nothing is as it seems.

The 24-day filming schedule ended yesterday and the film will be trailed at the Cannes Film Festival before a planned release early next year.

Craig’s production partner Lionel Hicks brought the production to the North Light studios, which is run by Netherton scriptwriter Ben Sweet.

The studios, which hosted TV drama Where the Heart Is and Ben’s sitcom pilot Pearly Gates, directed by Sir David Jason, have a growing reputation in the film world.

Ben, 34, said promoting the district as a film location could provide an economic boost and local jobs.

“We have a wealth of talent, great facilities and our locations are second to none,” said Ben. “There is a real buzz going on.”

Ben said production companies often paid to use locations, but local shops and businesses also benefited selling goods and services.

“Whether it’s car and van hire, greengrocers, mechanical diggers, water coolers, everybody gets a slice of the pie,” he said.

Local production experts were also drafted in and there were work experience opportunities for drama students.

Producer Craig, an actor who appeared in The Descent, also appears in the new film.

He said the locations around Huddersfield were stunning.

“Within a five-mile radius the landscape changes so much, but in the unlikely event we can’t find what we want we have the facilities to build it at the North Light studios.”

Holmfirth was the district’s best-known TV setting as the location for Last Of The Summer Wine from 1973 to 2010.

The village of Marsden has just featured in a BBC3 drama about zombies called In The Flesh.

Locations used in Marsden included the Royal British Legion Social Club, Marsden Liberal Club, Dirker Avenue and the basketball court in Dirker Bank Road.

A BBC spokesman said Marsden was chosen for its “beautiful yet stark rural setting.”

The drama features two well-known faces in Ricky Tomlinson (The Royle Family) and Kenneth Cranham (Hellbound: HellRaiser II).

The final episode of the three-part series went out on BBC3 on Sunday night.