Wealthy film buff saves iconic studios

But that's the plotline of Twickenham Studios in south-west London, which will still make movies after a property magnate walked onto the set today.

The studios were used by the Beatles to film Help and A Hard Day's Night, with other films marked "made in Twickenham" including 1960s classics Alfie and Saturday Night And Sunday Morning, and Steven Spielberg's recent WWI blockbuster War Horse.

But it looked as though it was going to be "cut" for the studios when Shardub, a company controlled by the family of late film producer Moustapha Akkad, put it up for sale.

Fearing it would fall to developers a Save Twickenham Studios campaign was launched by film post-production supervisor and Twickenham local Maria Walker.

Heading the cast of backers were directors Steven Spielberg, David Cronenberg and Stephen Daldry.

Now Sunny Vohra, of the Sarova hotel group, has put up the cash and taken over as managing director of Twickenham Studios Ltd, which has acquired the site.

Although Mr Vohra is not known to have any previous film-making experience, he is described as "passionate about film."

And Ms Walker has been appointed chief operating officer of TSL after apparently impressing Mr Vohra with her enthusiasm for the studios' future.

She said: "Recent press, industry and public interest in the studios has shown how important the studios are to the industry and to Richmond and the local community."