A FILM directed by Ken Loach and starring Bolton comic Venn Tracey will premiere on television on Sunday.

Loach's latest big-screen drama, 'The Navigators', will air on Channel 4 following a brief spell at selected British cinemas.

Viewers will see Venn, a 59-year-old stand-up comedian, star as a character called Gerry, a union representative looking after a bunch of British Rail workers in south Yorkshire.

The gritty social drama has received wide acclaim and this week's review in the TV Times said it was a "convincingly acted, conscientious and commendable tale."

As with much of Loach's work, the film is full of political comment, this time about the social and safety effects of rail privatisation,

Venn was personally picked for the film by Loach who admired his confidence as a comedian, despite him having no acting experience.

He said: "It's a great film and one in which I have been proud to appear. It's light-hearted in places but gritty at the same time.

"I had a great time filming it and I'd love to work with Ken Loach again."

The film is set in 1995 and focuses on a group of track workers whose community spirit is threatened by a take-over of their railway line.

Venn, who was brought up in Bowen Street, Bolton, said the film was also packed with humour, despite its gloomy storyline.

The movie, which stars Steve Huison, from the Full Monty, Joe Duttine (Pie in the Sky, Holding the Baby) and Tom Craig (Shooting Stars), is set to be picked up by millions of viewers.

It goes out on Channel 4 at 10pm.

The film was written by ex-railwayman Rob Dawber, who died from asbestos poisoning in January 2001.

Venn has been a stand-up comedian for 37 years and started entertaining shortly after he left St Edmond's School, in Bolton.

The 96-minute movie was showcased at film festivals in Venice and Toronto and where it was enthusiastically received.