AN East Lancashire boy can be seen in the latest Hovis advert which launches on our screens today.

At 122 seconds, a second for every year the Hovis brand has existed, it is one of the longest adverts ever shown.

The advert charts 12 decades of British history through landmarks in national history with 13-year-old ‘Hovis boy’ Brian Mackie running through the streets clutching a loaf under his arm.

Scenes include the wreckage of a Sec-ond World War bombing, and celebrat-ions after England won the world Cup in 1966.

Alexander Winward, nine, from the Moss Bridge area of Darwen, appears in two scenes as an extra — one a scene showing a Coronation street party from 1952, and the other a modern-day scene.

The St Edward’s Primary School pupil was on location in Liverpool for six days for the filming in July, and had to dress up in 1950s long shorts, shirt and a knitted tank-top.

He said: “I really enjoyed it. It was pretty tiring but I met some nice people.

“I definitely want to carry on with it, maybe getting into the post-production and directing side of things.”

His mum Nicola, 41, said the family would be gathering around the television tonight to watch the advert on ITV1 at 8.45pm during Coronation Street.

She said: “Alexander loves doing it.

“We found out about the role from his agent and he got through as an extra.

“We’re really pleased for him to be involved in something so big.

“When I went to a supermarket after filming, he wouldn’t let me buy any other brand of bread than Hovis.”

Alexander also appears as a schoolboy extra on the very last episode of Grange Hill to be screened next Friday, and entered Britain’s Got Talent as a singer.