THE long-awaited second, and final, series of the hit Manchester drama returns to BBC1 next month.

A viral marketing campaign to promote the new series includes an online video clip of time-travel detective Sam Tyler and his 1973 police boss Gene Hunt.

They appear as puppets, along with a suspect, reflecting a Camberwick Green-inspired dream animation sequence, which will be seen in episode five.

It's the work of HOT Animations in Altrincham, who were given the task of creating puppet versions of the main characters, based on the children's favourite first screened in 1966.

Sam (John Simm), Gene (Philip Glenister) and other figures in the award-winning show were crafted by a team of eight animators.

On screen trails for the new series begin on BBC1 this Saturday and will include the 1970s BBC1 "globe".

The first series, filmed in Manchester and Stockport, won both an International Emmy for Best Drama and millions of fans in Britain and abroad.

It was also acclaimed by critics as one of the best dramas of recent years and is tipped to win many more awards.

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