SIDMOUTH has erupted into a hotbed of activity as it has been transformed into an outdoor film studio in the past few weeks. A BBC crew were in the town filming for Escape to the Country on Tuesday as part of their search to help a couple find a place awa

SIDMOUTH has erupted into a hotbed of activity as it has been transformed into an outdoor film studio in the past few weeks.

A BBC crew were in the town filming for Escape to the Country on Tuesday as part of their search to help a couple find a place away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

Richard Eley, chairman of Sidmouth Chamber of Commerce will appear in the programme after being filmed in the town and along the seafront.

"They did an interview with me and a middle-aged couple and I tried to do my best for Sidmouth. At least it was a sunny day!" he said.

Mr Eley denied speculation that the film crew chose him instead of Mark Seward, president of Sidmouth & District Hospitality Association, because he had a more telegenic appearance.

A spokesperson for the BBC confirmed a city couple are looking at Sidmouth as an option for Escape to the Country

She said the couple have not yet looked at any houses in the area but they may be returning to Sidmouth if they decide it is a suitable choice.

And in the past few weeks U5 Film Production, a German company, has been filming at several locations in the town, including the Esplanade, Church Lane and Peak Hill.

They are filming a romantic drama with the working title 'Under the Sign of the Horse' and their last day filming in Sidmouth was yesterday.

Starring in the film are well known German actors Phillip Brenninkmeyer, who has appeared in the US programme 'Sex and the City', and Catherine Flemming, who appears regularly on German TV.

The film will air on ARD, the first German broadcasting channel, next summer.