A NEW children’s TV show produced by an Altrincham-based company and using cutting edge animation is about to go on air.

Strange Hill High has been made by Factory Transmedia for CBBC, with Caroline Aherne of Royle Family fame and John Thomson among the big names voicing the characters.

The programme features three characters who solve mysteries Scooby Doo style and is aimed at 6-12 year olds, but its makers expect eight to nine year olds to form the bulk of its audience.

Factory Transmedia boss and Strange Hill producer Phil Chalk said: “It follows three kids at the school Mitchell, Templeton and Becky who become best friends and in that kind of Scooby Doo tradition they become best friends and in the Scooby Doo tradition they unearth mysteries.

"It's all weird and wonderful stuff that goes on within the school and they’ve got to investigate the random monsters that appear.”

The team of writers is being led by Josh Weinstein, who also supervised the creation of the show and flew in from LA to attend the launch at Ordsall Hall last Thursday.

His own writing credits include the iconic TV cartoon, The Simpsons.

Josh said: “For American comedy writers British humour is sort of ‘the God’ of comedy and the chance to work with British writers, actors and comedians was like a dream come true for me.”

The first episode of Strange Hill High will be shown on CBBC on May 8 at 5.15pm.