DAME Judi Dench and Oscar-winner Jim Broadbent are among a string of A-list stars set to be filming at Penarth Pier over the next view days.

Comedian and actor Eddie Izzard is another name in town as the pier becomes the backdrop for scenes in Six Minutes to Midnight, a historical thriller.

The Victorian structure, owned by the Vale of Glamorgan Council, will provide a period setting for the production, which has already filmed on Penarth seafront.

Eddie Izzard, Celyn Jones and Andy Goddard wrote the film’s screenplay, which tells the story of an exclusive girls’ finishing school, set in Golden Grove, that caters for the daughters of the Nazi elite before the outbreak of World War Two.

The period film features Dame Judi Dench as the school's headmistress and Eddie Izzard as a teacher accused of murder.

It is the latest in a long line of productions to choose the Vale for filming, with the likes of Dr Who, Casualty and Sherlock all using the area as a location in the past.

While filming takes place, the pier will be closed to the public from Wednesday 18 to Saturday, July 21 and any businesses affected by this will be compensated by the production company.

Cllr John Thomas, leader of the Vale of Glamorgan Council, said: “We see this as an excellent opportunity to allow one of the Vale’s most iconic landmarks to be featured in a production which is likely to attract a large audience.

"It is also an excellent income opportunity for the council which, given the current financial climate, we could not turn down.

“Businesses who have had to close for this period will be suitably compensated for the disruption and we hope that in the long-term, it will attract more visitors to the area.”

A spokesman for the production company said: “Six Minutes to Midnight is a pre-WW2 thriller starring Eddie Izzard, Judi Dench and Jim Broadbent set to be released by Lionsgate in the UK.

"We are filming the entire production across various locations in Wales and are delighted that the Vale of Glamorgan have been so supportive to our filming needs. It really highlights the Vale as a film friendly council that we will definitely be returning to on subsequent productions.”