During 1978, Ken Loach, when searching for young actors with 'natural'
Yorkshire accents, returned to the 700-pupil St Helen's (where Kes was
made) and found Louise Cooper. Twelve-year-old Louise played Belle and
was so good that when Leon Garfield, the author of Black Jack, visited
the film set he presented her with a book inscribed, 'Thank you for
being my perfect Belle.'
