Rising UK actor Thomas Turgoose has signed on for the lead role in Tom Harper's feature debut The Scouting Book For Boys.

Turgoose, who has drawn rave reviews in This Is England, Somers Town and Eden Lake, will play a troubled teenager who helps a young girl run away from home.

Jack Thorne (Skins) wrote the screenplay, also described as a 'tale of obsessive first love.' Celador's Christian Colson and Ivana McKinnon will produce.

The Scouting Book For Boys will start shooting Sept 14 on England's east coast.

Financing comes from Celador, Film4 and Screen East; Pathe will handle UK distribution as well as international sales.

The supporting cast, lined up by casting directors Suzanne Smith and Julie Harkin, so far includes Susan Lynch and Holliday Grainger.

Harper, a former Screen International Star Of Tomorrow, directed the award-winning short Cubs.

Colson and Mackinnon said: 'We are delighted to be working once again with our old friends at Film4 and Pathe, and to be partnering for the first time with Screen East. Tom Harper, Jack Thorne and Thomas Turgoose are three of the brightest young talents in the UK and we are thrilled to be bringing this poignant and compelling story to the big screen.'

Film4's Peter Carlton added: 'A deceptively simple tale of lost teenagers, Scouting Book is an urgent and telling portrait, which will resonate with audiences everywhere.'

Celador's other recent projects include The Descent 2 (in post) and Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire (to premiere at Toronto).

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