A WOMAN from Radcliffe has had a book published about the time she rubbed shoulders with the celebrities of Hollywood.

Head For The Hills is an eyewitness account of 1960s Tinseltown and some of its iconic stars seen through the eyes of Glennyce Eckersley, a Radcliffe resident for the last 50 years.

Leaving her native North-West to become an au pair in 1961 she shared the sidewalk with some of the greats of that era.

The book talks of a 19-year-old and her experiences of meeting names such as Dean Martin, Audrey Hepburn and John Wayne, and inadvertently attending Gary Coopers funeral!

Now aged 76, Glennyce, who is an author that has had 10 other books published previously, spent three years over the Atlantic before returning home in 1964.

She said: “Growing up my auntie used to buy all of the glam magazines. Cinema was the big draw back in the 60’s and Hollywood was the place to be so I always wanted to see it.

“I also really wanted to travel so when I saw an advert for au pairs I thought it was too good to turn down.”

Housed with a family in the swanky Brentwood area of Los Angeles, Glennyce would regularly find herself in the company of somebody famous.

Living opposite actor Gregory Peck and just along from James Garner in Carmelina Avenue, she would often see the ‘Tour the Stars’ Homes’ bus driving past with people looking through the windows wondering which star lived where.

“At first I was star struck seeing these people but after that it became second nature when you realise that these people are just normal like the rest of us.

“Paul Newman answered the door to me once though. That was the only time I literally didn’t know what to say or do.”

Glennyce highlights one particular night where she attended what the Los Angeles Times called ‘The Party of the Year’.

She said: “The party in question was hosted by the wonderful actor Lee Marvin and there were more stars there than you shake a cocktail stick at.

“The most interesting person there, at least for me, was the veteran Broadway and film star Martha Raye but the most surreal moment was when Lee Marvin danced with me!”

On writing the book, which took her a year, she said: “I always thought that I would write about my experiences one day, whether or not I was able to get them published.”

After three years in the States, Glennyce had to return to the UK when her father fell ill and soon after met her future husband.

She said: “I vowed that I would return but soon after coming back to the UK I got married and so never did.

“I do regularly go back to visit but never went back to live. I am just grateful for the time that spent over there and the memories that I created.”

The book is available to purchase from Amazon in paperback or Kindle form.