HOLLYWOOD glamour hit Hampshire last night when Gladiator star Russell Crowe came to film Les Misérables.

Hundreds of residents turned out in Winchester to catch a glimpse of the Oscar-winner as scenes were being set up during the evening.

It was thought co-star Anne Hathaway was filming last night too but it was unclear if the film’s other stars Hugh Jackman, Amanda Seyfried or Eddie Redmayne were involved.

Filming took place in College Street near the Cathedral, which had been dressed up to look like 19th Century Paris with a horsedrawn carriage and several extras dressed as soldiers waiting to start shooting.

Most of the filming took place after midnight when the crowds had largely gone, with Mr Crowe tweeting that he finished work at 5.08am this morning.

Crowe, who also starred in Master and Commander, plays Inspector Javert in the new film which hits the cinema screens in January next year.

Fans young and old grew more and more excited as the night went on and were proud to see the city used as a Hollywood setting.

Tom Vaux, a student of Little Minster Street, said: “It’s weird as I live nearby and I usually park my car where they are filming today.

It’s great to see them come to Winchester and very exciting. I’m hoping to see Hugh Jackman.”

City councillor Ian Tait added: “When you live here you forget what Winchester has to offer but it’s a fabulous location.”

However, the filming did not seem to have much of an effect on local business, whether good or bad.

Jon Howard, manager of the Wykeham Arms pub in Kingsgate Street, said it had brought lots of people to their part of the city but trade had been normal.

He added: “We hope it starts to rain so people come in for a drink.

We haven’t had Russell Crowe or Hugh Jackman in yet but we have sent them Twitter requests to come and have a pint!”

Filming began in the city two weeks ago when The Chantry at Winchester College was used for a scene with Hathaway, Seyfried and Olivier-award winning English starlet Eddie Redmayne.

Hathaway takes on the role of Fantine while Seyfried plays her daughter Cosette.

It is the latest in a long list of high-profile films to shoot in Winchester, including The Da Vinci Code and Elizabeth.

Russell on Twitter

RUSSELL Crowe, a keen user of Twitter social media, came a cropper over the collective name of Winchester residents before filming yesterday.

He tweeted to his 442,498 followers worldwide: “I won’t be in Winchester until all Winchesterians are in bed and the town becomes Paris in the still of night. I will be waiting.”

He later corrected himself: “Citizens of Winchester are Wintonians...who knew? Patrolling your streets tonight, do not harbour fugitives, the law will not be mocked.”

After some ribbing on the ‘twittersphere’ he responded: “aahh...Winchesterian/Wintonian...

I'm going to the gym!”