A film about Smiths star Morrissey's early life in Manchester could be heading to cinemas after plans for a proposed biopic were announced.

The controversial singer, whose full name is Steven Patrick Morrissey, grew up in the city which inspired much of his band's best-loved songs and provided the title of their last studio album Strangeways, Here We Come - named after the local prison.

The film, which has a working title of Steven, is being made by the team behind the Oscar-nominated short The Voorman Problem which starred Tom Hollander and Martin Freeman.

Director Mark Gill said: "The film covers Morrissey's life pre-Smiths and is more of a portrait than a conventional biopic. It's as much a film for non-Morrissey fans as it is for die-hard devotees, but I can't deny that this is a love letter to Steven Patrick Morrissey and the dark satanic mills of Manchester."

Morrissey wrote at length about his childhood in his recent memoirs which even went into detail on the merits of the TV shows he remembered as a child.

Filming is expected to start this year.