RESIDENTS have been asked to decide whether to allow the BBC to film scenes for a TV comedy-drama on the streets of their town.

The Auf Wiedersehen, Pet production team says it has written to residents of South Bank, Teesside, as a courtesy.

Local councillor Ian Jeffrey said: "No one wants to stop the BBC filming, but there are issues here of sensitivity.''

Location scouts identified South Bank as an ideal setting for an episode, though most of the filming is being done in and around Newcastle.

Coun Jeffrey said: "My reaction is: why don't they film in Newcastle?"

The town will be portrayed as a fictional area, although Coun Jeffrey claims to have seen a mention of South Bank in the original script.

He said: "They are aware of the sensitivities and have said references to South Bank would be removed.

"I am just a little concerned about seeing national headlines 'BBC films in most deprived part of the country'.

"They are going to come in, film and make an enjoyable programme, then go; but people have got to continue living in those circumstances,'' said Coun Jeffrey, who is supported by fellow ward councillors.

"We have some problems, but we are also trying to sustain a local community and we are trying to attract people into South Bank as well. We don't think this makes that job easier.''

A BBC spokeswoman said: "The council did have reservations. We sent the letter out to give residents of South Bank the opportunity to say if they did not want us here. There were one or two people who came back and told us they rather we didn't, but the overwhelming majority are happy for us to go down there.''

The BBC is giving the community cheques totalling £1,000, split between the residents' association and the town's Millennium Green Project.

Ward councillors understand that, out of 800 letters posted, the BBC received 18 replies, 15 of them in favour of the filming.

The episode sees the dismantling of Middlesbrough's Transporter Bridge for re-erection in the US.