A WORLD-FAMOUS actor joined students behind the camera to promote an anti-crime message.

Pete Postlethwaite and young people from the performing arts department of Kidderminster College enacted a dodgy deal as part of the "We Don't Buy Crime" police initiative.

Seven students spent a day with the actor in a Shropshire pub shooting a short film to reinforce the message that buying stolen goods encourages theft.

The rising stars played the thief, the buyer and background characters, while the star of films including The Usual Suspects and Brassed Off talked to the camera about the dangers of buying stolen gear.

Drama lecturer Nigel Holman said: "It was marvellous to spend a day working with a man who is probably going to win Oscars before he dies.

"It's going to be shown in booths, supermarkets and youth centres - new forms of getting information out to people."