AN actor from the North-East was celebrating this week after a film he appeared in was nominated for an Oscar.

Jeremy Swift, 43, originally from Stockton, played a footman alongside Richard E Grant in the murder mystery movie, Gosford Park.

The 43-year-old has been acting in theatre for more than 20 years and has also starred in TV dramas.

His mother, Sylvia Swift, of Yarm Lane, Stockton, said that her son was delighted with the film's nomination.

She said: "He loved filming it because he said it was an honour to work for Robert Altman, the director.

The actor, who used to tread the boards at Stockton's old Dovecot theatre as a youth, appeared in a Quality Street advert at Christmas and recently starred in the TV drama, Blind Man.