FILM director Sam Taylor-Wood’s Nowhere Boy, the story of John Lennon’s early years, was shown for the first time in Liverpool yesterday to support the Alder Hey Imagine appeal.

The film, which tells the story of John Lennon before The Beatles were formed, had its charity premiere at the Odeon, in Liverpool One.

Turner Prize-nominated artist Taylor-Wood, who recently turned her hand to film directing, attended the screening with the film’s leading man and her fiancé, Aaron Johnson.

Liverpool actor David Morrissey, who is a patron of the Imagine Appeal and nominated the children’s charity to benefit from the premiere, also attended the event last night.

Most of the location scenes for Nowhere Boy were filmed in Liverpool earlier this year.

Taylor-Wood said: “The icon and hero of the film is from Liverpool, and everyone was so accommodating and welcoming when we came to the city to film.

“It seemed crazy not to have a big premiere in Liverpool.”

It was hoped the event would raise thousands of pounds for the Imagine appeal, which was launched in 2005 with the help of Yoko Ono to support Alder Hey, the busiest children’s hospital in Europe.

The hospital treats about 250,000 patients per year and the appeal aims to improve the quality of life for children in hospital by providing facilities for young patients and their families.