A coach took over 40 members of the cast along with friends and family to watch the finished article last Wednesday.

The Goole Town Council project was launched over a year ago after a group of youngsters visited an International Youth Theatre festival in Poland.

It was supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and three professionals helped the 60 youngsters involved, aged 13-20.

Nicola Dixon, youth and community arts co-ordinator for Goole Town Council/The Gate Theatre, said: "The screening was amazing.

"The museum had such a big screen and it was nice to see the young people's work on it.

"When we started the project we went to the national media museum to have a look around and they were really helpful showing us around.

"But because we were looking at the silent film era they were interested in what we were doing and told us we should come back here when we had finished to watch it on their big screen."

She added: "We have been so lucky with this project.

"The Heritage Lottery Fund decided to use us as a case study for how young people should get involved in projects and Kodak gave us £2,000 worth of old 8mm films. All along the way it has got better and better."

After the screening, a mini Oscars was held for the cast and crew, with everyone receiving a certificate.

The youngsters made two films, the first about Dr AD Holmes who helped improve housing standards in Goole in the early 1900s. The second called Lost Princess, was a fictional murder mystery, about a new inspector who comes to Goole and discovers the body of Anastasia the missing Russian Princess, and has to unravel the mystery of her murder.

Youngsters had to spend a lot of time researching local history, developing ideas for the story, writing scripts, rehearsing, prop-making and costume making.

Copies of the DVD are avilable for £5 from Goole Town Council. Visit www.goolecourier.co.uk for more pictures.