FILMING has started on a pilot for a new comedy TV series set in Bury.

Made in a Mockumentary style, the pilot and series will open a window onto the lives of some of Bury's most colourful characters - with filming starting on Saturday December 9.

The show, which has a working title of Itchy Brits, is written and directed by lifelong Bury resident Terence O'Neill, in his first foray into script writing.

The pilot follows a world famous Bury boxing champion, who has made it big on the circuit in America, as he returns to his home town, attending a VIP party at his local working men's club, before dropping a revelatory bombshell.

Mr O'Neill described: "He has spent 20 years in the states and been retired from boxing for just under 5 years.

"He is a hero in his home town of Bury and the whole Town is in anticipation for his return, so much that his event is a total sellout.

"The interviewers are going to document all attending including members of the community as they prepare for a night they will never forget.

"The primary focus is the attendees themselves who are a funny bunch of individuals, each with their own story.

"This is a comedy based on real life emotions and people's perceptions of reality.

"The story starts with excitement and ends in tears as the hero of the town has a big secret.

"The crux of the show is that no one is really bothered by the end of the documentary because they do the same thing every week."

The pilot's cast of characters will also including a long past-it boxing compare who not only thinks he's still got it, but thinks he can sing like Tom Jones.

Mr O'Neill, from Birtle, often undertakes work as an extra in TV shows alongside

co-owning Terance Anthony Flooring.

The idea for the show came to him while working as an extra on upcoming historical action drama Outlaw King.

He pitched it to his fellow actors who seemed enthused about the project.

He was also inspired by his work on the League of Gentlemen, which encouraged his use of visual comedy in the show.

He said: "It's going to be almost a bit like Louis Theroux meets Peter Kay with visual jokes, and a bit like This Is Spinal Tap and The Office, so there's someone following the characters around at all times.

"There is also going to be a lot of improvisation as well.

"I wrote the show with a part in it for myself originally, but I didn't want it to be a vanity project so I stepped away from it.

"It is something that we are all looking forward to really and it is something that I have wanted to do for a while.

"The only things that are on TV these days are things like the Real Housewives of Cheshire and benefits programmes that make everything look awful, so we are trying to make something humorous.

"There are things that happen every day that we find amusing.

"We wanted it to come across as real people and hopefully it will come off and if it does it will be quite good television.

"Once the pilot is done hopefully we are going to pitch it to Netflix and Channel 4 et cetera.

Proposed future episodes of the show include a Comic Con event, a national pub quiz final and the opening of a new maternity ward.

Mr O'Neill is appealing for sponsorship from Bury businesses for help with funding for the show's production as he wants to keep it independent.

He said: "It is going to be all about Bury and that's the focus."