Caroline Aherne to voice BBC children's series Strange Hill High

Strange Hill High, a new animated TV show from the BBC (BBC)

Comedy star Caroline Aherne is to be among the cast of voices for a new animated children's series for the BBC.

Aherne, creator of The Royle Family, will play a range of characters in Strange Hill High, along with her former co-star from The Fast Show John Thomson.

The series is to be screened by CBBC this spring and has been made by Josh Weinstein, whose credits include top cartoon series The Simpsons and Futurama.

It will also star Richard Ayoade, known for his roles in Channel 4's The IT Crowd and as the director of Submarine, and Emma Kennedy, who won last year's Celebrity MasterChef.

Aherne said: "It has been an absolute privilege and honour to work on Strange Hill High. It is very clever, funny and the animation is second to none. It is wasted on the kids."

The series uses new animation techniques using Japanese vinyl toy-style puppets with stop-motion and CGI - dubbed "hypervynorama".

It is set in an odd inner city school and follows a trio of seven-year-olds who aim to uncover its mysteries. The series is to be screened later this spring.

PA