WORKERS at a Port Glasgow shipyard are making their big screen debut next month.

Around 20 staff at Ferguson's were used as extras in a big-budget movie that is due to be released in February.

The film, On A Clear Day, will have its glittering world premiere at Robert Redford's Sundance Film Festival in Salt Lake City on 21 January.

On A Clear Day stars Lord of the Rings actor Billy Boyd, Peter Mullan, who won a best actor gong at the Cannes Film Festival for his role in My Name is Joe in 1994, and Brenda Blethyn who was nominated for Oscars for her roles in Little Voice and Secrets and Lies.

It has been made by Mel Gibson's Icon Entertainment company and is set to be a huge hit.

Sam Ballantyne, shed foreman at Ferguson's, said: `The boys are really looking forward to me film coming out.

`They will be excited about seeing themselves up on the screen.

`They were pretty excited about the filming, especially about Billy Boyd being there.

`He was really good. My daughter and niece and nephew were there on one of the days of filming and he was really good to them. He spent about 45 minutes chatting to them.

`They all worked really hard as well, it is not as glamorous as it looks.

`Peter Mullan was quite a pleasant guy to talk to. I showed him around the yard and we had good banter.

`They used my office for most of the scenes and also the bottom shed.

`About 18 to 20 of the boys were involved as extras and I think they will all head down to the cinema when it comes out to see if they can spot themselves.` On A Clear Day tells the story of Frank, played by Peter Mullan, who loses his shipyard job and sinks into depression. He is only happy when he swims and one day his best friend, Billy Boyd's character, comments that on a clear day he could probably swim to France.

Frank plots to do just that and enlists his friends and family to help.