Two members of staff at a North Wales holiday centre are going on a nostalgic trip down memory lane with a return ticket On the Buses.

They were both working at Pontins, in Prestatyn, when the 1973 comedy film, Holiday on the Buses, was shot there and at other locations in the area.

Just over three decades later, finance manager Darrio Touhladjien, 65, and maintenance manager Kevin Shepherd, 44, will be guests of honour when a plaque is unveiled to commemorate the film.

The plaque will form part of the North Wales Film and Television Trail thats being organised by the Wales Screen Commission.

The film was the third in a series of three movies spawned by the classic, ratings-topping sit-com, On the Buses.

The plot revolves around the antics of the regulars of On The Buses who end up at Pontins after being sacked for crashing three buses.

Stan (Reg Varney) and Jack (Bob Grant) take charge of the camps holiday tour bus, but the Camp Security Officer is none other than their bete noir, Blakey.

With Stans Mum (Doris Hare) Olive (Anna Karen) and Arthur (Michael Robbins) following them to the holiday centre, the smooth running of the camp descends into chaos.

At the time the film was shot, Bulgarian Darrio Touhladjien was a recent arrival and was working at Pontins - doubling up as the reception manager by day and a pianist by night.

And he has vivid memories of the atmosphere of excitement surrounding the camp which was then just a year old.

He said: It was amazing. When I started with this company in 1973, they were in the middle of filming and the camp was closed, there were scenes being shot every day."

"Actors, extras and crew members were coming in and out to shoot scenes on in the centre, outside and in the town. The gatehouse featured prominently because of the bus coming in and out."

"Because I was managing the reception I had contact with all the comings and goings."

"The plaque is a wonderful idea because this place has been here all these years, because Pontins is a monument of many happy things."

Back in 1973, Kevin Shepherd was a Saturday morning luggage boy helping the arriving campers with their cases.

Three decades later, in his role as maintenance manager, he will be erecting the plaque in readiness for the unveiling ceremony on Friday, October 22.

Kevin recalled: "When we heard that the film was going to be shot here the whole town was buzzing with excitement people were looking out for the stars everywhere."

"There are places where you can recognize on the film like the scene where the sidecar came off was shot on the Rhuddlan bridge and the scene where the bus is in the water is just opposite the Grand Hotel."

"For a 14-year-old boy all of this was a big thrill and, of course, as soon as the film came out we were all looking to see if you could see yourself."

"My mates think Im actually in the film but Im not so sure. There is a scene where you see the luggage porter carrying the cases and they all say its me I wouldnt like to say that it is or not. Its not on the screen for long so I cant be sure."

"There are areas of the centre which are exactly the same today as they were then."

"The tiling in the swimming pool is exactly the same and the building they used as the surgery where they were carrying on with the nurse is now the cycle hire shop the structure of the building is exactly the same as it was then."

On the Buses was hated by all the television critics back in the 1970s but the viewing public loved it.

Richard Coombs, the Film Liaison Manager of the Wales Screen Commission, in North Wales, said he was delighted that Holiday on the Buses was going to join the cinema and television roll of honour in North Wales.

The plaque will be unveiled during a ceremony at Pontins on Friday, October 22.

Richard said: "The Film Trail is an eclectic mix of productions to suit all tastes the first plaque to be unveiled was to commemorate the classic Hollywood movie, Inn of the Sixth Happiness."

"While Holiday on the Buses is as big a contrast as you could have, it is easy to forget how popular the show was and how much enjoyment it brought to people."

On the Buses and the big screen spin-offs are enjoying something of a revival thanks to the advent of digital television with re-runs attracting old and new fans alike.

"It was something that appealed to a wide audience it was good old-fashioned clean smut! It was near the knuckle but without going to far," added Richard.