IT'S NOT every day the world's most famous film director shuns the wedding of a former American president's daughter in order to meet your piglets.

But that is exactly what happened to farm owners Philippa and Sebastian Hughes when Steven Spielberg, who is filming his new film War Horse on Dartmoor, visited their 450-acre farm near Widecombe-in-the-Moor.

On the day much of the world's media believed he was at the wedding of Bill and Hillary Clinton's daughter Chelsea in New York, the ET director was at Holwell Farm ahead of shooting some of the film's war sequences.

Based on a novel of the same name by Devon writer Michael Morpurgo, War Horse tells the moving story of a horse sold to the cavalry and shipped to France during the First World War, and his young owner's mission to bring him home.

Production crews have been on location in Devon for just under two weeks.

Mr Spielberg visited Holwell Farm last Saturday and was back there yesterday, shooting scenes at nearby Bonehill Rocks.

The farm was used as the production's crew base with up to 400 cars and 20 lorries arriving on Wednesday before yesterday's 4am start.

For Sebastian and Philippa, the experience was a memorable one.

Philippa said: "It has been chaotic but very memorable. He came here last Saturday for a recce of the area.

"It was Bill Clinton's daughters's wedding and much of the world's media thought he was there.

"We showed him around the farm, showed him the views and he met the animals, like our piglets and Dartmoor ponies.

"He was very friendly and unassuming. He loved the animals and we found him to be a very easy person to be around. His entourage was quite formidable, but because he is such an important person, the security around him reflects that."

Holwell Farm had been the subject of television programmes and documentaries in the past but this had been unlike anything they had experienced before, said Philippa.

"The whole experience has given us a fascinating insight into the film industry.

"I don't think anything will ever top it. Some of the Americans among the crew were very impressed with Dartmoor.

"When you tell them the landscape has remained virtually unchanged for centuries, they can't quite believe it.

"It is such an iconic landscape. This is an incredible opportunity to show it on an international scale in a really positive way."

Actors involved in the film include Oscar-nominated Emily Watson and David Thewlis, who played Professor Lupin in the Harry Potter films. It is not thought they were involved with filming yesterday.

Widecombe local Duane Breslan was walking his dog yesterday when he stumbled across the film set.

He said: "There have been loads of people about and lots of security as well — I suppose to keep people from wandering on to the set when they are filming.

"I saw what must have been the war horse. It was impressive — I wish I had taken my camera.

"It's a real coup for Dartmoor and Devon to get Steven Spielberg here."

Spielberg's private Boeing 737 was pictured at Exeter Airport on Saturday. Earlier this week, he was spotted dressed in cap and sunglasses near the tiny moorland village of Meavy.

It has been rumoured Mr Spielberg was staying at the Hotel Endsleigh in Milton Abbot, near Tavistock, although the hotel has not commented on the speculation.