Antiques and vintage clothing on the island are being sought out to feature in international productions.

Maggie Harding from the Greta Harding Theatrical Clothing Company will be visiting the island in February to find ’genuine old items which date from before 1950s for her work with theatre and television companies’.

Maggie said: ’Many productions want to use genuine old items rather than having modern copies made.

’This sometimes is difficult as people were much smaller 100 years ago and many of the older items will not fit modern people.

’A 1920s dress was purchased in Peel last year and had a waist size of 24 inches. This is tiny and would be unlikely to fit modern-shaped people, but it was useful as a set dressing and was hung over a wardrobe door for a stage version of "An Inspector Calls" by JB Priestly.’

Last year she found some ’unusual’ items such as a rare 1930s embroidered coat in Port Erin, a Chinese housecoat in Peel, old sewing and needle cases in Douglas and a purple silk Victorian dress that dates back to 1860, which was found in a house in Castletown.

Maggie previously purchased an orange feather fan dating from 1930s while in the island, which will be worn as a head-dress by Will Smith who will be playing the Genie in the Walt Disney film re-make of Aladdin.

She has also supplied the hat and gloves worn by Emily Blunt in the new Mary Poppins film that is due to hit cinemas next Christmas.

Maggie is always keen to buy clothing and accessories from the 1800s to the 1950s.

In particular, she is seeking paisley shawls, embroidered kimonos, silk wall-hangings, shawls and jackets, 1920s flapper dresses, cloaks and shawls, ladies’ 1940s hats, Brief Encounter styles, ladies’ suits and coats, crocodile suitcases, men’s trilby hats, de-mob suits, top hats and tailcoats, military uniforms, and costume jewellery, lace trimmings and old feathers.

If you would like to get in contact with Maggie, who will be staying on the island from Feburary 19 to 24, you can phone her on 07734798522.