A WINSFORD teenager took to the red carpet at the London Film Festival ahead of his big screen debut.

Sam Bell, 18, plays Beatles legend George Harrison in the biopic Nowhere Boy, which looks at the turbulent and troubled life of John Lennon.

The biopic – based on the book Imagine This: Growing Up With My Brother John Lennon, by Lennon's half sister Julia Baird – closed the film festival on Thursday, October 29, following the release of the official trailer the day before.

The Mid-Cheshire College pupil took friend and extra Conrad Ellis, 18, along to the star-studded event with him where he rubbed shoulders with the likes of Paul McCartney and Yoko Ono.

Proud mum Sue Bennion, 42, of Vauxhall Way, said: “I couldn’t believe it when he told me he wasn’t going to take a camera to the party.

“I’m so proud of him, I saw the trailer and Sam is in quite a few of the shots. His friends are supportive too, they really are chuffed for him.”

Sam was originally offered the part of Eric Griffiths – a member of John’s first group The Quarrymen – but filmakers were so impressed that he was cast instead as George.

Sue added: “He was absolutely thrilled when he found out he was going to be George. But he seems to be taking it all in his stride, that’s just the way he is, I think it’s only just hitting home for him.

“We can’t wait for the general release, there are about 60 of us going to watch it.”

The film looks at Lennon's teen years and his first steps to fame, focussing on the influence his Aunt Mimi and his mother Julia, and his friendship with future fellow Beatle Paul McCartney.

The UK general public release of the film is on Boxing Day, December 26.