A PRE-SCHOOL TV series being created in Bournemouth for distribution by Wallace and Gromit company Aardman has won a share of a national development fund.

Pop Paper City, being developed by Winton business LoveLove Films, was awarded money from the British Film Institute’s Young Audiences Content Fund.

The seven-minute episodes follow a group of paper characters who craft new parts of their world. A real human hand helps them along, with the intention of inspiring young viewers to craft along with the characters.

The Young Audiences Content Fund is handing out up to £57million for high quality content for children and teenagers over three years. The programmes have to be tailored for free-to-access, Ofcom-regulated TV channels and online platforms.

The funding has been used for script development and a new teaser trailer, which was the fourth most viewed project at the MIP Junior industry event in Cannes.

Georgina Hurcombe, managing director of LoveLove Films and producer of the project, said: “We were so thrilled to receive development funding for Pop Paper City.

“The Young Audiences Content Fund is such a fantastic resource, and the BFI’s dedication to funding projects with public service values are very much aligned to Pop Paper City’s series goals. We’re thrilled with how Pop Paper City has been developing – particularly our brand new teaser trailer – and this simply wouldn’t have been possible without the Young Audiences Content Fund.”