Dorset residents WILL get a chance to see a new film set in the county from this coming weekend - after it had initially appeared the film would not be shown in the county's cinemas until next month.

Much of new film On Chesil Beach is shot on location on the famous shingle strip, giving Dorset's coastline a starring role in the adaptation of Ian McEwan's novel of intimacy and isolation.

But the county's residents have not yet been able to see the film after it came out on general release last Friday - as none of Weymouth or Dorchester's cinemas have shown it in its first week. It will begin its showing at Weymouth's Cineworld from this Friday - though not at Dorchester's Odeon or Plaze.

The film saw its premiere in Dorset at Bridport's Page to Screen festival earlier this month, where there was also a talk with Ian McEwan.

Councillor Richard Kosior, who speaks for Weymouth and Portland Borough Council on art and culture, said he was 'very surprised' at the film's absence from local cinemas.

"Given the title, you'd expect that people would like go and see it," Cllr Kosior said, pointing to the popularity of other Dorset-filmed pictures such as The Boat that Rocked and Dunkirk. "But they're national chains – what can we do?" he added.

Cllr Kosior added that he would have gone to see the film at the weekend – if it had been shown in the area's cinemas.

"It's always good to see these areas, the borough, on film," he said. "It's interesting to see how it comes across, and to see it from a different perspective."

Dorchester's independent Plaza cinema will meanwhile show the film on its second run in two weeks' time.

Plaza general manager Alan Escott said the decision on bookings was made by a booking company – but that if he would have like to see the film come to his cinema on the first run. "Given the local link, I would have liked to see it here sooner," he said.

Only select Odeon branches are screening the film this week.

An Odeon spokesman said it was not showing locally at the moment, but advised customers to check for more information on a Tuesday or Wednesday each week when listings are updated.

*This article was updated on Tuesday, May 22, to reflect updated information from Cineworld.