THE Full Monty star Steve Huison is to play a lead role in a film based on the true story of a ‘miracle’ Burnley boy who was born four months premature.

Jack Entwistle, now seven years old, weighed just 1lb 6oz when he was born, and his dad, Alan, is writing and directing a new movie called ‘24weekers’ based on his family’s experience.

Alan hopes to raise awareness of Strep B, the blood infection Jack’s mum, Karen, suffered from during pregnancy which caused her to give birth prematurely.

Huison played the character Lomper in the 1997 box office hit about a group of working-class male strippers.

The 48-year-old actor has also appeared in Coronation Street, Where the Heart Is, Dinnerladies, Heartbeat and The Royle Family.

Huison, who will play a hospital consultant, said: “I’m pleased to be attached to such an innovative and exciting project such as this, exploring an issue that’s never been dealt with on film and working with such boundless and enthusiastic film-makers whose true objective is to get this important story out.”

Alan, from Marsden Road, is also launching a Kickstarter campaign tomorrow in the hope of raising £94,000 towards filming costs.

Kickstarter is an online ‘crowd-funding’ scheme which sees supporters who make financial donations rewarded with perks, including – in this case – the opportunity to appear in the film itself.

Alan, 51, said: “Kickstarter has proved to be hugely successful in America and has launched some amazing and innovative projects.

“We hope to be one of the first successful UK feature movies to use Kickstarter. We are really excited about what the future holds for 24weekers.”

Jack, who was given only a 40per cent chance of survival, now attends Burnley’s St James’ Lanehead Primary School.

A trailer for the film was shot on a £600 budget in Burnley and Manchester last year, and the crew hope to start filming in February next year.

As a film-maker, Alan has written and directed about a dozen short films, and had his work featured at the Cannes Film Festival.