Will EastEnders stars survive Keynsham car crash, a stunt said to have cost £1m?

Filming continued in Keynsham tonight for the dramatic car crash scene in which two EastEnders stars are trapped in a blazing car after it crashes into a shop.

Hundreds of people crowded around the sealed- off parts of Temple Street and Rock Road tonight to catch a glimpse of the action being filmed in the the empty shopping arcade which is due for demolition as part of the regeneration of Keynsham.

Keynsham became the chosen location after the BBC staged a nationwide hunt to find a suitable empty shopping arcade to film the scene.

Jenni Wagstaffe, of Bath & North East Somerset Council's Film Office, said today: "The BBC needed an empty shopping arcade for two weeks in September, which coincided with the shops in Temple Street being vacated prior to demolition.

"The BBC was looking at a number of alternatives but the perfect timing, the look of the street, and the positive attitude they received from Bath & North East Somerset Council and local emergency services swung it for Keynsham."

The scene involves two of the younger members of the Branning clan - Joey (played by David Witts) and Lauren (Jacqueline Jossa) - as they end up trapped inside the car, trying desperately to escape.

Joey's father, Derek, (Jamie Foreman) is also involved in the scene and tonight onlookers heard his desperate calls to his son as filming continued inside the 'Bettasave' shop.

The filming, which has involved night-time road closures on a section of Temple Street and Rock Road this week, took months of planning by many different council department, including property services, highways, parking, and health and safety – working closely with the police and other emergency services.

The BBC's location team, together with the Council's Film Office, have also liaised extensively with the local community to cause the least amount of inconvenience and disturbance to residents and businesses.

Richard Godfrey, their location manager, said he was delighted with the reception he had received from everyone concerned.

He added: "I have been particularly impressed with the smooth way in which the filming has come together and the co-operation and help that we have received from Bath & North East Somerset Council and of course Keynsham residents.

"The brief for this particular location was always going to be difficult to fulfil but I think Temple Street fits the bill admirably."

The storyline is a closely-guarded secret and viewers will have to wait until the episode is screened in November to find out what happens next.

There is speculation on the internet that the five-day shoot will nudge the £1m mark, with salaries, location fees, hotel costs, security fees and maintaining the set for five days.