A famous literary family has come back to life for one week only to film an epic tale with the help of residents.

Over 20 people have been playing the Bront family as they grew up in the Parsonage, at Haworth.

The Discovery Channel has been making the film this week, which is based on Emily Bront's book Wuthering Heights.

The documentary is part of a season of programmes the Learning Channel is running on the world's greatest books.

The filming is continuing until tomorrow and will be cut down to make a one-hour documentary on Wuthering Heights.

Associate producer Teri Eckel said: "We are focusing on the life of Emily Bront and her family. We are re-enacting it in three stages, her childhood, her teenage years and her adulthood. We have picked generally local people to star in the documentary. We love Haworth it's a great place."

Four children from Haworth Primary School are playing the roles of the Bront children, aged six to ten years old.

Pupils Issy Lee, who plays Charlotte, Georgina Metcalf, Emily, Jess Sommerlad, Branwell, and Katie Shaw, who is acting the part of Anne, were all chosen because of their uncanny likeness to the adult actors playing the grown-up Bront roles.

Head teacher of Haworth Primary School Pauline O'Keeffe said: "We thought it was a great opportunity for the children to be further connected with the Bronts. "They are thrilled to bits to be playing them. They are really excited but are being very professional."

Two producers and a cameraman have travelled from the United States to make the documentary with the British cast.

Scenes of the film will include Patrick Bront firing his gun from his bedroom window, something he regularly did when he lived in the Parsonage, and Emily practising with a gun in the graveyard.

Manager of the Bront Parsonage Museum Alan Bentley said: "It's good to get involved. It's great positive publicity for the area, which is important at the moment with the foot and mouth crisis. I think it is good that they are using local people."

Other sites being used in the filming include Penistone Hill, Main Street and the church.