VIEWERS tuning into the BBC's autumn costume drama Emma on Sunday may have recognised a familiar local attraction.

Squerryes Court, standing in for Emma's home Hartfield, features in many of the scenes in the new programme.

The programme makers approached the Warde family, which owns the estate, in October last year.

Stars, including Romola Garai, who plays Emma, Michael Gambon as her father Mr Woodhouse and Jonny Lee Miller as Knightly, then spent several weeks filming scenes there in February and April, and between May and July.

Squerryes marketing manager Pam White said: "It was all very successful and great fun, but very tiring as they were doing 12 hours a day."

Rooms used in the production include the Chinese Bedroom, one of the staff flats, the hall and the green drawing room, which was painted dark turquoise for filming, as well as the gardens.

Mrs White said the house had fitted in with the location manager's vision as it was the right period, with rooms that were not too small, although it was not able to offer a room big enough for the dance scenes, with Stocketts Manor in Old Oxted standing in instead.

She said Squerryes owners, John and Anthea Warde, and the estate staff were sad to see the crew go when filming finished.

"We were almost like a family. They were probably one of the best crews we've had at Squerryes," she said.

However, not all of Squerryes' residents were pleased to see the film crew.

Mrs White said: "One of the swans chased some of the production crew when they were filming down by the lake. He was guarding the females there."

Emma is on BBC One on Sundays at 9pm, last Sunday's episode is available on BBC iPlayer.