TRICIA Stewart can barely believe how her life has changed over the past three years.

Her idea to produce an alternative calendar featuring ladies from the local women's institute, naked but for strategically placed teapots, cider presses and easels, was initially intended to raise a few pounds for leukaemia research.

But what started out as a tribute to John Baker - husband of Rylstone and District WI member Angela - who died from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, quickly became an international phenomenon.

Now their story is being captured in a film called Calendar Girls, featuring British stars including Prime Suspect's Helen Mirren and Educating Rita actress Julie Walters.

Other leading actresses include Penelope Wilton, who starred in the TV sitcom Ever Decreasing Circles, Geraldine James, of Band of Gold fame, Linda Bassett, who starred in the film East is East, and Gormenghast actress Celia Imrie.

It will be directed by Nigel Cole, who made the film Saving Grace and the TV comedy series, Cold Feet.

The Rylstone women had no idea they had such a winning combination when the calendar came out, on April 12, 1999.

Soon, they were in every national newspaper, and they were being feted everywhere they went. The whirlwind of publicity included interviews in magazines, on television and radio, and eventually a grand tour in the US.

It also included a slot on the Royal Variety Performance and their being named Women of the Year.

Throughout the publicity, the calendar was selling in its thousands. Even the Queen and the Queen Mother, as members of Sandringham WI, received copies.

But as the film offers came in, the women found themselves splitting into two distinct camps. Half wanted Victoria Wood, who had made an offer, and the other half were keen on Beuna Vista, part of the Walt Disney empire.

After a democratic vote, Beuna Vista won, but the two sets of women never recaptured the warmth and solidarity of the early days.

Calendar Girls, which starts filming in the Yorkshire Dales on Monday, will focus on six of the women - Tricia Stewart, Angela Baker, Lynda Logan, Christine Clancy, Beryl Bamforth and Ros Fawcett - who will each have cameo parts in the production.

Tricia, 53, who has written a book based on her experiences, called Calendar Girl, said: "There are five who didn't want to do this film and that was their choice.

"This is a story about how a group of women decided to raise funds for leukaemia and how they responded to the death of a friend. I think it will be a fantastic film, the actresses say it has a real feel to it and how they are privileged to be in it."

But, despite the experiences of the past three years, the women have never lost sight of why they started the calendar.

With the royalties that have been signed over, the women are hoping they may finally reach their £1m target in aid of leukaemia research.

"We've raised about £600,000 already, which is fantastic," said Tricia.

"It's funny, but the calendar has always just taken off by itself - it's always seemed to have a mind of its own."