The director of a delayed film starring Johnny Vegas is hoping volunteers keep faith in the project despite mounting frustration.

Lee Howard, director of Prestatyn production company Canned Media and of the independent film Womble, is seeking to reassure volunteers that the prolonged release schedule is a result of the runaway success of the film attracting increased interest from famous guest stars.

The film, which finished being shot in Prestatyn in 2016 is yet to premiere and some of the 160 volunteers - including actors, film crew, artists, songwriters, makeup and hair stylists - have aired frustrations over the delays on a closed Facebook group.

Mr Howard said: “I don’t know what everyone expected from Womble. I know that people had a blast doing it, there were so many highlights, and so many people made lifelong friends.

“And once that stops then it leaves a void, and I think for some that has been difficult.

“There have been a couple of release dates thrown about after production had stopped, but these were all estimates.”

He added: “Although I share some of their frustrations, people need to understand that I want what’s best for this project – and if we get it right then then who knows what can happen.

“Because everyone was a volunteer, and most actors were either very limited experience or none at all, we have found there are many holes in the production, from continuity to performance issues. but that was part of the charm of this project, and the point of it in the first place really. It’s now my job to find a way of getting it to fit together.

“I believe whatever I say people will be frustrated, and I get it. But if we can just get this right then we could have a great little film – and the story of making Womble in Prestatyn – that we were all a part of.”

The delays are, in part, the result of the escalating scope of the project, which began life as a short film starring Prestatyn actor Tom Spencer as Aloysius Rupert Womble and his life with Asperger’s Syndrome.

The film was shot on a shoestring budget of £10,000 and grew as it began to attract the star power of television actor Johnny Vegas, Beautiful South’s former lead singer Briana Corrigan and American Pie star Thomas Nicholas – none of whom were paid.

Mr Howard said: “The more the film was upscaled, the more we had to raise. Everything is bigger, the expectations are higher and the film is no longer yours. but when these opportunities showed themselves, we had to go for it.”

“Not to pay guest stars -they were not paid - but for instance, as Briana Corrigan from the Beautiful South appeared in the film, we had to sail the crew out to Dublin and film her scenes. which cost around £1000, some of the cast stayed in a motor home and me, Tom Spencer and a few of the crew stayed in a very cold tent.

While Womble waits for an official release, Canned Media has been working on other projects including Grandpa God – currently filming in Llanberis and stars former Coronation Street star Bruce Jones – and The Girl on Top of the Wardrobe autism documentary for the Prestatyn Popin centre.

“Womble currently requires an editor to come in to form the final cut – although hiring a professional from outside the group clashes with the film’s voluntary ethos,” Mr Howard added.

“Either we all get paid, or none of us do. This was something that we all agreed, and we it would be unfair to for us to give our time up, then pay a celebrity to appear in the movie or an editor.”