THE Oscar-nominated film 1917 boasts an appearance from a true Dorset heavyweight – a Great War Mark II Tank.

Sam Mendes' wartime epic, which made the Hollywood shortlist for the best movie and is widely tipped to take the honours, featured the Bovington Tank Museum exhibit.

It was scanned for digital inclusion in the movie, which has been filmed to appear as one continuous take, and has already claimed both the Best Motion Picture and Best Director awards at the 2020 Golden Globes.

The tank now joins a lengthening list of vehicles from the The Tank Museum’s collection that have appeared on the silver screen.

Tank Museum curator David Willey said: "The ongoing success of film production in Britain is centred on the outstanding directors and technicians based here – but also on the UK’s amazing heritage that can support the industry.

“The Tank Museum has been and will continue to be an outstanding resource for filmmakers.

"We are delighted to be able to assist the makers of 1917."

Sam Mendes has previous experience of World War One tanks at The Tank Museum, after bringing the cast of the Donmar Theatre’s production of To the Green Fields and Beyond to the museum in 2000 to experience the true confines of a Great War tank.

In a recent interview, the celebrated director said “The First World War starts with horses and carriages, and ends with tanks.

“So it is the moment where you could argue modern war begins."

The Tank Museum’s Mark II tank is currently on display in the museum’s Tank Story Hall.

Other movies that have featured exhibits from the Bovington museum include the blockbuster, Fury, which starred Brad Pitt.

In 2013 the Once Upon A Time In Holywood star visited The Tank Museum in preparation for the £80million war movie.

Fury featured the museum's Tiger 131 battle tank, the only working example of such a tank left in the world.