Fireman Sam turns 30: How did he make it on to TV?

He's always on the scene - and Fireman Sam is now celebrating 30 years of entertaining and educating children.

The firefighter from Pontypandy heard his fire bell chime for the first time on 17 November 1987 on Welsh language TV channel S4C.

Since then, he and fellow residents "naughty" Norman Price and station officer Steele have been watched in 155 countries across the world, in 36 languages.

So how did the much-loved character make it on to our screens?