A VIDEO made by talented Southend youngsters has had more than 1.2million views on You Tube in just a few days.

The viral smash called Girls Who Read features poet Mark Grist delivering his humorous rhyme about how he prefers girls who read rather than their looks.

Watch the video here (WARNING: CONTAINS SOME GRAPHIC LANGUAGE)

 

It was filmed partly in The Last Post pub in Weston Road, Southend, and features a number of local crew members and was directed by Guy Larsen, 22, a former pupil of Southend High School for Boys.

He met Mark Grist at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival last summer and suggested that the poet improve on his grainy-mobile phone shot footage of the poem.

Guy, of Shoebury Road, Wakering, explained: “After I said that he said to me ‘well why don’t you help me make it?’ “It took more than eight months to make, and people did have to fit it in around their day jobs – our budget of £400 only covered expenses and we couldn’t pay anyone.”

The director drafted in other local talent including producer Mike Histon to help.

He explained: “We chose The Last Post basically because while I was drawing up the storyboard, I was basing the pub on the one I always drink in and so when it came to filming it was perfect.

“The staff were great about us doing it there, even when we were in at 6am on a Sunday.”

The love interest in the video is actress Amy Burrows, 22, who is seen reading a variety of different items, including a Cornflakes box, in a number of locations.

The former Southend High School for Girls pupil has been overwhelmed by how well it has done in just a few days.

She said: “I was quite shocked. I had said to my mum on Friday night that I couldn’t believe it had had a few thousand views – and then by Monday it was over a million.”