A stately home in mid Essex is the new White House. Hylands House in Chelmsford was chosen as a double for America's White House in the film Chasing Liberty, which premiered in Los Angeles last night.

Because of increased security now surrounding the President's home, it has been difficult for film-makers to use the property.

So the search was on for a double and 18th century Hylands House fitted the bill.

The film crew spent a week at Hylands in May last year filming the outside of the building.

A fountain was created as well as a bed of geraniums to recreate the real thing, along with glass fibre pillars, but these could not be joined to the house because is is a Grade II* listed building.

Ceri Lowen, assistant manager of Hylands, said the crew were wonderful and very careful, adding: "It was all great fun. We were delighted they wanted to use us.

"We went to a preview for the cast and crew just before Christmas at the Odeon, Leicester Square, and were pleased to see how much Hylands House resembled the White House."

Published Friday January 9, 2004

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