AN AMBITIOUS teenage filmmaker is battling to get her dream project back up and running after its set was devastated by a fire.

Holly Jacobson, aged 13, spent the summer planning and building the set at Holly Mount Farm, in Greenmount, for her film Harry and Grace, a modern retelling of Hanzel and Gretel that has taken four years to bring to fruition.

After managing to raise of budget of £6,000, Holly found a large crew of professionals to work with her and built a full-sized fairytale cottage in the middle of the woods, which is the film’s main location.

However, disaster struck on Wednesday night when the thatched roof of the cottage caught fire.

Fire crews from Bury, Whitefield and Ramsbottom spent three hours tackling the blaze, after the production designers on site at the time risked their own lives to keep the flames at bay and save as many props as possible.

The final days of filming were due to take place this weekend, but have been delayed until the structure can be repaired.

Holly, who has been making films since she was nine and has won international awards for her work, said: "So many people have helped and supported me to get this film made - people who have literally spent weeks camping in a field and working 16 hours a day to finish this cottage, people who have donated money or time or materials.

"So many people have believed in me and I just can’t let those people down. I need to finish this film and it has to be amazing."

Holly is adamant that the film has gone too far to not be finished, so is asking for more support to help her realise her dream.

The teenager, who lives in Ashton, set up a new crowdfunding page to help save the project on Thursday and surpassed her £1,500 target in just four hours.

She added: "We have all worked so hard on this build and so many people have contributed, mostly from the Bury area. I feel I owe it to everyone who has believed in me to get this cottage repaired and get this film finished.

"Before the fire the cottage looked incredible. People from all over were just coming to look at it. Even though we didn’t have Hollywood’s millions I don’t feel the set we built would have looked out of place in a blockbuster movie. So many people have worked on it and several people have been camping there without electricity or running water for over six weeks."

It is not yet known how the fire started, and one man was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation.

In this modern retelling of the classic fairytale, the blame for the children’s peril is placed firmly at the feet of their father and it challenges the way that women can be held to a higher standard of parenting. It also tackles the dark issue of grooming and possible causes for children being left vulnerable.

Holly, who has been acting from the age of seven, wrote the first draft of the script when she was nine and has gained the support of notable figures, including author Neil Gaiman, for her project.

To donate, visit indiegogo.com/projects/save-harry-grace-short-film-by-13yr-old-girl