FORMER actor and Clacton MP Giles Watling is trumpeting a competition aimed at finding the filmmakers and scriptwriters of the future.

Mr Watling, 67, who is best known for his role as Oswald in 1980s sitcom Bread, has worked as an actor and director at regional theatres across the country and helped to run Frinton Summer Theatre in the 1970s.

He is now one of a number of MPs to give Parliamentary backing to the annual film and scriptwriting competition for UK-based student and independent filmmakers

Run in collaboration with Parliament, Film the House is aimed at being a fun and innovative way of highlighting the importance of intellectual property rights among creators, legislators and the general public.

Categories include Best Script and Best Short Film, with both under and over 19 prizes, as well as Best Film Direction for under and over 19.

An expert industry panel of leading figures from across Britain's creative landscape chose the finalists ahead of a ceremony in the House of Common on January 18.

Prizes for the winners include mentoring from industry screenwriting professionals, a certificate of classification by BBFC and a cash prize to help in the development of their next project.