When aspiring Walthamstow film star Annie Burkin was asked to improvise a scene in her acting class one day, little did she know that just weeks later it would have been turned into a feature film, with her in a lead role.

And now the results are being seen by the public on the big screen with Blood and Carpet having its UK premiere at the ArtHouse cinema in Crouch End last week and a screening planned in May in Hastings, were some scenes were shot.

The 1960s set thriller by Edmonton director Graham Fletcher-Cook, famous for films The French Lieutenant’s Woman and Sid and Nancy, opens with Annie’s character Ruby and husband Lyle trying to clean blood off their carpet and dispose of a body in their bathtub.

”I was at a workshop run by Graham and he said get into groups of three and do something about two people who are worried about something and one person who isn’t,” says the 38-year-old.

“So we came up with the idea that someone had been murdered and we were trying to clean the carpet and the other person’s just asking if we want cups of tea.

“Graham said ‘that would be a great opener for a film’. Within a month he had written the script and spat out a filming schedule and we were making a film. It was incredible.”

The actress has already appeared in Zebra Crossings, which was shown on Film Four in 2012, after starting acting classes at the The Anna Scher Theatre in Islington and being asked to go to a casting on her first day. And that’s also how she met Graham.

“I always wanted to be an actress when I was younger but it didn’t happen so I went and got a real job. But then in about 2006, I thought ‘you can act at any age’ so I started acting classes.

“And from there I’ve really just been in the right place at the right time.”

The film also stars Billy Wright from Edmonton, Frank Boyce from Haringey, former EastEnders star Nicola Stapleton and 300 film star Andrew Tiernan. It was shot over just ten days in Hastings and London for less than £3,000.

“The hours were really long,” says Annie who by day is a regional support assistant for the station manager at King’s Cross.

“We were on a very tight schedule and would film through the night, but it was a great cast and crew so someone was always there to cheer you up.”

The film has already been screened at the Marbella Film Festival and Annie, who is already filming her second lead role in Stratford with director Eddie Saint-John, says: “I’m really proud of Blood and Carpet and just hope it gets the recognition it deserves.”

Watch Annie in Blood and Carpet online at www.bloodandcarpet.com

See the trailer for the film below