'It’s beautiful here, lovely to see you,' Tom Cruise tells our reporters while filming on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway

Rumours had been in the air for several weeks that the Top Gun star would soon be in the area to film the latest instalment of the Mission Impossible series, and they turned out to be true when Mr Cruise was caught on camera stepping out of a helicopter in Pickering on Monday.

Sarah Jones, of Pear Tree House Bed and Breakfast and Holiday Cottage, had heard that Mr Cruise may be filming in the area and had spotted the helicopter landing while walking the dog.

She said: “He was very relaxed and waved. He shouted how lovely it was to be here and said it was a beautiful day.”

Scarborough News journalists Richard Ponter and Louise Perrin went in search of the Hollywood megastar and were delighted to capture him on camera during a break in filming at Levisham.

Get the inside story on what it took to track down the megastar

Mr Cruise was relaxed and in good spirits and happy to exchange a few words with waiting reporters.

Filming takes place a short way from Levisham Station. The station car parks at both Pickering and Levisham have been commandeered by almost 300 cast and crew members.

The station is closed until May 15 when services resume.