Students design figures for oldest model village

Characters have been designed to match the 1930s theme of the model village

New residents have moved in to what is believed to be the world's oldest model village.

Students at the National Film and Television School in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, were tasked with designing a new set of characters for Bekonscot, a nearby model village built in the 1920s.

After eight weeks of work, 12 handmade puppets were crafted - including a fortune teller, zookeeper and deep-sea diver named Seymour Fish.

Smaller versions which were the same scale as the village were made by Bekonscot's lead figure maker, Lauraine Crowther.

Deep-sea diver Seymour Fish is one of the characters designed by students

Visitors to the attraction can see all 12 puppets on display until August, with the mini versions dotted around the site.

The National Film and Television School is renowned for former students finding success in the entertainment industry.

Former pupils include Nick Park, the creator of Wallace and Gromit, and Mark Baker - the co-creator of Peppa Pig.

Students designed and made puppets which were then turned into miniature models by Bekonscot

Bekonscot opened publicly in 1929 was visited by Queen Elizabeth II during her childhood.

Students were asked to make the designs of the character match the 1930s theme of the model village.

The managing director of Bekonscot, Brian RJ Newman-Smith, said: "As two iconic brands, based in Beaconsfield, with a century of history between us, this partnership is a natural and exciting synergy.

"Working with their exceptional model making team is an incredible opportunity and we can't wait to bring our shared passion to life."