A STOURBRIDGE director who hopes to put the town on the TV map was bombarded with applications from aspiring actors and extras wanting to star in his new comedy series.

Freelance writer and film-maker Céin McGillicuddy and his TV pals Andy Kinnear, aged 26, from Kent, and Dan McGaughey, aged 26, from Essex, have gone out on a limb to bring their Top Coppers project to fruition.

The show - about two ginger-haired law enforcers called Mahogany and Rust - is being filmed in and around Stourbridge until this Saturday (October 16).

And after an appeal for extras and supporting actors featured in the News, Céin and his production team were inundated with hundreds of applications from aspiring stars hoping to be in the series - which is being billed as a cross between Father Ted and Blazing Saddles with a pinch of Airplane or Anchorman thrown in.

Stourbridge bodybuilder Lee Willis was among those selected to appear alongside Andy Kinnear and Joe Varley (Mahogany and Rust) and Kayvan Novak, from Channel 4's Facejacker'.

Lee, who trains at Jim’s Gym in Lye, plays a muscley nurse in the independent production, which has already received interest from Channel 4.

Director Céin said: “It’s been going fantastic. We’ve had such an amazing reaction from everybody in Stourbridge.”

Mary Stevens Park in Norton, Kidderminster Hospital, Holy Trinity School in Kidderminster and Stourport Canal Basins are among the locations that have already played parts as backdrops.

Enville Hall near Stourbridge is also set to feature in the production.

Céin, aged 27, added: “The crew have really enjoyed being here and they’ve been amazed at the locations that we have here and just how accommodating everyone has been.”

For future updates on Top Coppers check out Céin’s website www.cein.co.uk