He is best known for his gritty roles in Trainspotting and as a recovering alcoholic in My Name is Joe.

But now Scots actor Peter Mullan's tail is wagging about his latest role, as a dog in an animated children's TV show.

Mullan, who also directed 2010 movie Neds, will be joined as a four-legged friend by compatriot and One Foot In The Grave star Annette Crosbie in Driftwood Bay.

The show, which is aimed at pre-school children, stars a host of well-known actors, including Stephen Fry, who less surprisingly voices an aristocrat called Lord Stag.

Mullan enthused about playing Salty Dog, saying of it: "Any actor would give his right arm to be doing a series like Driftwood Bay.

"It's sweet, innovative, funny and gentle with a good heart and a great sense of collective responsibility.

"I've never done any voice work on animation so I thought this was a nice chance to do something that my children can actually see me in for a change."

Crosbie plays Nonna Dog, while Father Ted star Ardal O'Hanlon plays a bull and Absolutely Fabulous star Jane Horrock plays Wee Rabbit.

The pre-school show revolves around a five-year-old girl, Lily, who creates an imaginary world from items washed up in the bay and features her family and the animals which live nearby.

Mullan's character Salty Dog regularly reels off his fantastic stories in the series which is to be screened in May.

Colin Williams of UK production company Sixteen South, which made the show, said: "Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine attracting a cast of this magnitude to Driftwood Bay.

"These incredibly talented people have taken our characters off the page and made them come alive in the most wonderful, creative way."

The series is set to be screened in several other countries and it will retain the same voices when it is screened in Australia and the US.