A film starring a Suffolk resident who helped the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa is set for its East Anglian premiere at a cinema in the county later this month.

Oliver Tambo's London Recruits will be shown at Leiston Film Theatre on Sunday November, 24 and features Leiston resident Steve Marsling, who is portrayed in the film by an actor.

Mr Tambo served as president of the African National Congress (ANC) - a pressure group for black rights - from 1967 to 1991 and hatched a plan to infiltrate young British activists into the country posing as tourists.

READ MORE: Aldringham man's mission during apartheid in South Africa

Leiston resident Steve Marsling was recruited to campaign against the apartheid regime in South AfricaLeiston resident Steve Marsling was recruited to campaign against the apartheid regime in South Africa (Image: Charlotte Bond) READ MORE: Manager of 107-year-old cinema set to celebrate 30 years in charge

Mr Marsling was among those recruited and made leaflet bombs which were not designed to hurt people, but operated on a timer and scattered leaflets far and wide bearing the message that the ANC still lived.

Mr Marsling, who is now a campaigner for better dental services with the group Toothless in Suffolk, arrived in Cape Town in August 1971 with fellow recruit Sean Hosey after being sought out by the ANC.

The pair were warned that if they were caught, they would be tortured and placed in solitary confinement for at least eight months, with a minimum sentence of five years, with no remission.

Oliver Tambo, pictured left with fellow anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela, wanted to infiltrate young British activists into South AfricaOliver Tambo, pictured left with fellow anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela, wanted to infiltrate young British activists into South Africa (Image: University of Dundee The Peto) In total, they delivered six leaflet bombs, including one outside Cape Town parliament which was swarming with soldiers.

"We had to carry them to the main areas where the black majority congregated, the train stations, the bus stations, areas we knew would be crowded,” he said.

On one occasion, they had a lucky escape when a detonator malfunctioned.

After returning to the UK, Mr Marsling, who was a member of the Brixton Young Communist League, began teacher training.

He added: "I’m proud of what we did. It will stay with me forever."

The movie focuses on these UK recruits who carried out agitational work for the ANC, which is now the country's governing party.

Their mission was to inspire ordinary South Africans to join the liberation movement in opposition to the apartheid regime, which was an all-white government that segregated non-white South Africans and forced them to live in separate areas from white people and use separate public facilities.