FILMING for a new BBC children's comedy drama starring Christopher Eccleston is set to take place in Ellesmere Port.

TV crews will be shooting on South Pier Road, along the canal towpath and inside the National Waterways Museum this week.

The filming is for a new ten-part family adventure called 'Dodger' which will air next year on CBBC and BBC iPlayer.

It is set before the events of Charles Dickens’ iconic novel, Oliver Twist, and includes some familiar characters including Fagin played by Eccleston and, of course, the Artful Dodger performed by Billy Jenkins who starred in The Crown.

Filming has already started in Manchester and Ellesmere Port will be among a number of locations in the North West that are being used for scenes.

The TV cameras will be in the town on Wednesday, June 30 from around 8am until 7pm, and on Thursday, July 1 from approximately 8am until 6pm.

In a letter to nearby residents and businesses, producers NBCUniversal International Studios state: "We will be parking our technical vehicles on site, and some necessary vehicles on the road near to the filming location.

"Let me reassure you that as a production we are working to national industry guidelines to make sure we work in a Covid secure manner.

"This includes daily screening for all staff as well as regular testing for key staff and crew."

The series is written by Rhys Thomas and Lucy Montgomery with Charlie Higson guest writing an episode. Rhys Thomas also directs alongside Hildegard Ryan.

Rhys Thomas said: "I have always loved Oliver Twist but wasn't so keen on Oliver himself. I preferred the company of Dodger, Fagin and the gang.

"I thought it would be fun to create a family show with Dodger at its heart and see how he came to be a master criminal in Victorian London.

"Working with the very best material as a springboard, it’s a total delight to expand Dickens’ rich world of characters and create a few of my own. To top it all, we have an incredible cast who are starring in the show. I can’t wait for families all over the world to see it!"

Christopher Eccleston added: “Fagin is an iconic role, I’m a very fortunate actor. Rhys Thomas and Lucy Montgomery have taken Charles Dickens’ extraordinary characters and imagined a whole new world and lives for them. I’m very, very excited."

Last year, the National Waterways Museum was used as a location to film scenes for the Netflix drama and Sherlock Holmes spin-off, 'The Irregulars'.