A MAN from St Helens wrote and produced a short movie after being inspired by spending time in a hospital waiting room with his wife when she was going through a health scare.

Around a year ago, Tom George, 58, and his wife June sat in the waiting area at Burney Breast Unit in St Helens Hospital awaiting the outcome of some medical investigations.

It was here - where June fortunately received good news - that the idea for short film 'The Waiting Room' was born.

Dad-of-two Tom, who lives near Taylor Park, said it struck him, while they were sitting, how important this room was to the lives of the people in it, and afterwards he decided to write a story.

He said: "My wife and I were there, we had been going through all the worry, waiting for results, and I was looking around the room thinking, 'this isn't going to work out well for some people in here'.

"I realised how important that room is for people in that moment and wondered about their lives.

"Some people's lives would change that day and the waiting room would always be the place where they were before that happened - and as a creative person I was inspired by those thoughts and wrote the film."

The film, which is being premiered at The Village Hotel, Whiston, on Thursday (September 29), lasts around 20 minutes and has a cast of 10 semi-professional actors.

It is hoped ticket sales for the premiere will raise money for the St Helens and Whiston hospitals charity.

Tom, a part-time actor and writer, said: "It's not too morose. It's quite a nice story and is driven by the different characters and their reactions to the circumstances. I'm really proud of it."

The hospital gave Tom permission to film in the waiting room over a weekend, when there is no clinic.

He said: "My son is a GP and I think the NHS is fantastic and needs our support.

"All the cast members are going to the premiere event and paying for the tickets so that should start the fundraising ball rolling. I hope we get a lot through the doors - it should especially appeal to people who have been through the issues it raises."

Tickets, costing £10 and including a drink and hot buffet, are being sold at both St Helens and Whiston hospitals.

The event starts at 7.30pm.