YOUNGSTERS will have the chance to star in a powerful film based on the work of a Notts woman.

Auditions are taking place tomorrow in Nottingham for the movie about a social worker who uncovered the shocking truth behind Britain's child migrant scheme.

A girl and boy are needed to appear in Oranges and Sunshine, about Margaret Humphreys, a former Notts County Council employee who set up the Child Migrant Trust in West Bridgford.

The film, which is set to star the Oscar-nominated Emily Watson, will document how Ms Humphreys lifted the lid on how children were forcibly shipped off to distant parts of the Empire during the 1940s and 1950s, some without their parents' knowledge.

The truth of the scheme emerged after Ms Humphreys received a letter from a woman in Australia trying to trace her parents after being sent overseas aged four.

It was then discovered that some 130,000 youngsters were forcibly sent to work in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada and the former Rhodesia to populate the countries with "good white British stock".

In some cases orphans as young as three were treated as slave labour, while others were sexually abused in the institutions where they grew up.

Filming is set to start in Nottingham during November and then in Australia in January next year.

The movie is also set to star Hugo Weaving of The Matrix trilogy and The Lord of The Rings trilogy and David Wenham, also of The Lord of The Rings, both subject to contract.

Kathleen Crawford Casting is looking for two children to play Ms Humphreys' children.

The company is looking for a girl aged 11 to 12 with a "bright, sparkly" character to play her daughter . A boy, aged eight to nine, is needed to play her son, a character who makes comments that are "insightful in the way only kids can be".

Both children need to be white, have blonde, brown or auburn hair and blue or green eyes. They both need to have Nottingham accents.

They also need to feel comfortable in adult company and be "bold and switched on for their age".

No previous acting experience is necessary.

Caroline Stewart, of Kathleen Crawford Casting, said: "It is an opportunity for any young child to come along and be in a film with Hollywood actors."

The auditions are set to take place at the International Community Centre in Mansfield Road, from 4pm to 6pm.

Parents with children interested in applying are asked to send a recent photo with details of the child's height, date of birth and contact information to orangesandsunshine@yahoo.com.