Parish councillors have refused to give permission for television stars Meera Syal and Stephen Tompkinson to park their film unit on their village common.

The two celebrities will be in Gerrards Cross on Monday to film a new BBC drama, In Deep, but the council decided the film unit vehicles could damage the land on West Common.

Meera Syal is best known for writing and starring in the hit BBC comedy series Goodness Gracious Me and Stephen Tompkinson has starred alongside chart-topper Robson Green in the television drama Grafters and as a priest in the BBC drama series Ballykissangel.

Parish council chairman Jenny Woolveridge said: "I do not know the size of the lorries involved, but they could be big. I fear if the common is wet they could cause harm to the grass. There is enough parking space for them at The Bull Hotel."

A BBC spokesman said: "We always liaise very closely with local authorities and the police on these matters."

See Friday's Bucks Free Press for full story.