Shell Out

A TV assembly aggregation run by a Northern Ireland couple, is auctioning off a speaking role in a children's action alongside Ronan Keating, Johnny Vegas and Sir Kenneth Branagh.

Shelltown Productions has offered a ''considerable'' allotment in the awning acclimation of 'Shelltown', a hit kid's book.

The champ will appear rehearsals, articulation a specially-created character, and accept two invites to the VIP post-filming party.

They will aswell abridged a two per cent allotment of the production's royalties - estimated at amid ?50,000 and ?70,000 per year - for life.

The auction began on internet arrangement website Humraz beforehand this month, and will activate if all tickets - priced ?5 - accept been sold.

Profits will armamentarium the show's ?2.5 actor assembly costs, and account three UK-based charities.

It will be the aboriginal time that a role has been awash to awning overheads, and could alert added assembly companies to chase suit.

Bernard Sparkes, co-director of Shelltown Productions, said the arrangement was a ''chance-in-a-lifetime'' for non-actors.

He said: ''This is an incredible, once-in-a-lifetime befalling for accustomed humans to appear in a archetypal TV programme.

''The champ will not alone accept a ample allotment alongside high-profile stars, but will aswell be accustomed a cogent royalty-share arrangement in Shelltown Productions.

''This is, then, a groundbreaking arrangement and one that could change the activity of the champ forever.''

Mr Sparkes founded Shelltown in 1999 afterward the advertisement of his wife's children's books of the aforementioned name.

Patricia Sparkes, 50, bound a cord of tales about 'Shelltown' for her 14 accouchement as they were growing up.

Her belief chase the lives of three 'good eggs' alleged Splat, Cracker and Exactly, and their run-ins with the Bad Eggs Gang.

The Shelltown books accepted such a success that the brace launched Shelltown Productions and adjourned a pilot animation.

Incredibly, the 4.5-minute pilot was spotted by Boyzone brilliant Ronan Keating, who agreed to accommodate his articulation to the advance appearance and address and accomplish the affair tune.

He was so afflicted that he abutting the aggregation as a shareholder. Ronan said ''As a ancestors man with kids, if I saw Shelltown I anticipation it was fantastic.''

Other stars accept followed suit.

These cover actor Johnny Vegas, and the actors Ken Branagh, Julian Fellows and Irish actor John Linehan.

Now the couple, from Ballymoney in Northern Ireland, are captivation an online arrangement to accession the all-important funds to aftermath a alternation of 26, 10-minute episodes.

Entrants have to acquirement a 'seat' in the auction, but all behest thereafter is free. This includes the champ not accepting to pay the acceptable bid.

Tickets amount ?5 but will acceleration over time - abundant like even or abuse tickets.

The arrangement will crop abode on internet website www.humraz.com if all seats accept been sold.

The advantageous champ will accept a allotment in the show, and a two per cent ability allotment in Shelltown.

Profits from the challenge will accession money for UNICEF, The National Autistic Society and the Marie Keating Foundation.

Mr Sparkes added: ''The amount of authoritative 26 activated episodes is acceptable to be in the arena of ?2.5 million.

''As a baby assembly company, we artlessly haven't got that affectionate of money - admitting accepting above abetment from some of Britain's better stars.

''That's why we've launched the arrangement - to accession assembly costs while giving humans the adventitious to participate in something agitative and absolutely unique.''

For added advice about Shelltown, appointment www.shelltown.co.uk. To crop allotment in the auction, appointment www.humraz.com ENDS Jon Kirk
72 Point
Tel: +44 7790 684107