MORE than 100 hopefuls have signed up for a screenwriters' course, and a further 48 people have put their names on a waiting list.

The University of Teesside, in Middlesbrough, is holding two classes for the first 20-week course starting this month, with more scheduled for the New Year.

The course tutors will be North-East scriptwriter Paul Telfer and Ian Fenton, who has been a member of the writing team of television soap Emmerdale since 2001.

Tom Harvey, chief executive of the scheme's promoters Northern Film and Media, said: "Given the quality of the course and the tutors' credentials, we're hopeful that it will stimulate some real writing talent in the region."

Mr Fenton said: "The North-East has a long tradition of producing writing talent, particularly in theatre and television. However, up until now only a handful of people have managed to make a successful leap into storytelling for cinema."

Carol Cooke, of the university, said: "Judging by the response, the course is clearly long-awaited."