FEW people get the chance to be involved in a top Hollywood film -- and even fewer turn it down.

But when Oscar-winning director Steven Spielberg came knocking, Janet Conroy had to tell the maker of ET: "Go home."

Janet, owner of vintage clothes shop Decades, was approached by somebody working with Spielberg to help provide costumes for a forthcoming project -- but unfortunately his timing just wasn't quite right.

Janet said: "A woman rang me up and asked me for some hats from the 1940s for Spielberg but I don't have any.

"The 1940s are quite big at the moment. It's Sod's Law really."

But Janet has recently helped out on another, less high-profile, film by Rochdale writer and director Steven Woodcock.

Between Two Women is set in a fictional West Yorkshire town during the 1950s although was actually filmed in many parts of East Lancashire.

It has its premire at the Bradford Film Festival and next week Steven and his wife, Julie, take it to London to show prospective distributors and TV executives.

Janet, who has run Decades for 12 years, was approached by Julie, the film's producer, after her name was mentioned during the search for a suitable supplier.

And so impressed were the Woodcocks that Janet became an integral part of the filming process.

Julie said: "As well as supplying the clothes Janet would be on set fitting the actors and would bring extras along with her. Our next film is set in the 60s and we will definitely use Janet again."

Janet supplied everything from the gentlemen's suits, the ladies' shoes, right through to the aprons worn by the mill workers.

Although Janet has helped out on other film projects she said her mainstay of business is supplying to the general public.

Her Blackburn town-centre shop is littered with authentic period clothing stretching right back to the 1800s up until the 1970s.

Genuine 1950s shoes nestle alongside hats from the 1930s.

And although Janet said the 1940s seemed to be the current trend, it's 1970s gear which proves most popular, due mainly to theme parties or fancy dress.

One thing she does not have is 1980s clothes.

Janet said: "It still seems to me that we have just got out of the 80s so it's not retro yet.

"I opened the shop in 1989 so I won't be getting shellsuits in just yet."

Between Two Women should be on general release in the cinemas later this year.