ACTOR Lee Ingleby is following in the footsteps of Steve Coogan and Alan Bennett in a TV adaptation of Wind in the Willows'.

Lee, 30, who was born in Burnley and grew up in Barrowford, is starring as Mole alongside Bob Hoskins, Little Britain's Matt Lucas as Toad and The League of Gentleman's Mark Gatiss as Rat, in the BBC's adaptation of the classic Kenneth Grahame book.

He spent the summer filming the feature-length adaptation in Bucharest, and will hit our screens in a treat for all the family over the Christmas period.

A spokesman for Lee said: "He was delighted to have landed the top role, and had thoroughly enjoyed being on set with TV legends."

Lee has come a long way since he first took on acting roles at Burnley Youth Theatre and was coached by drama teacher Brian Wellock at Edge End High School.

Earlier this year he starred in popular time-travel cop drama Life on Mars with John Simm, who also hails from Pendle and was another of Mr Wellock's pupils.

But he will be best known to children for his part in the film Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, playing magical Knight Bus conductor Stan Shunpike.

There is a chance he will appear in further Harry Potter films, as his character plays a part in other books in the series. He also appeared alongside Oscar-winner Russell Crowe in his 2003 blockbuster Master and Commander, and has built up a huge following, with hundreds of Internet "fan sites" devoted to him.

A spokesman for the BBC said: "Lee is a fantastic actor and he really brings the role of Mole to life.

"Everyone involved is looking forward to seeing the finished article."