Tickets for film about disabled surfer sell out in hours

Jimmy Simpson, who took up surfing last year, attended the premier with his personal assistant, Lauryn Bell, and surfing instructor Nick Jones

A disabled surfer says he was amazed tickets to the premiere of a film about him sold out in a matter of hours.

Jimmy Simpson, from Harton in South Shields, was born with dyskinetic quadriplegic cerebral palsy and began the water sport last year at the age of 24.

A documentary called Sand Dancers by Red Stamp Productions followed his attempt to go for glory at the English Adaptive Surfing Championship in Bristol.

About 270 people watched a special screening of the movie at a cinema in Boldon, South Tyneside.

Mr Simpson, whose condition affects his mobility, said he hoped a film about him would raise awareness of adapted sports and enable people to look past his disability.

"I can't believe this is now in the cinema. I'm over the moon," the now 25-year-old said.

The film's makers hope it will be distributed at film festivals across the world and taken up by online streaming platforms.

Jimmy Simpson surfs with his personal assistant, Lauryn Bell, and instructor Nick Jones

Mr Simpson said he could not sleep the night before the preview and was "excited and nervous both at the same time" for it to hit the silver screen.

His personal assistant, Lauryn Bell, features in the film as the "hands" of Mr Simpson and his "catcher" in the water, alongside instructor Nick Jones from the South Shields Surf School.

Ms Bell said: "It's been great getting everybody here and seeing how emotional everyone was. It just shows how the community of South Shields came together."

They previously came together to create an adapted surfboard and teach Mr Simpson how to surf.

Connor Langley and his team captured more than 70 hours of footage

Connor Langley, who produced Sand Dancers, said Mr Simpson's story and the support from the town were both "inspirational".

"This is a real story of the community helping Jimmy," he said.

"Of course it's popular because we all want to feel included and be seen, and enabled by the people around us.

"When you're shooting you're not really there in the moment and you're focussing on the shot.

"It wasn't until we got the first cut of the film and I sat back and it got me [crying]."

The original screening had to be moved to a bigger venue because of the demand