Dylan Thomas poem animated for National Poetry Day

A poem by Dylan Thomas has been brought to life in a short animated film to mark National Poetry Day.

Michael Sheen narrates The Hunchback in the Park for the movie by award-winning Aardman Animations for BBC Wales.

Sheen said the film brought the poem, set in Swansea, to life in "very imaginative and striking way".

The animation can be seen on the BBC iPlayer and will be shown on BBC One Wales later in October to mark the centenary of the poet's birth.

The poem tells the story of an isolated man who spends all his time at Cwmdonkin Park, close to Thomas's childhood home in Uplands, Swansea.

Elements of the park were recreated in the Aardman studio for this production with people - from the studio cleaner to dancers - brought in to play roles.

"It was a pleasure to perform The Hunchback in the Park for this wonderful little film," said Sheen, who will direct a new production of Thomas's play Under Milk Wood in New York.

"The animation brings Dylan Thomas's poem to life in a very imaginative and striking way and I can only hope that audiences everywhere find it as engaging as I did."

Michael Sheen will direct and star in a new production of Under Milk Wood in New York

The rockery was one part of Cwmdonkin Park recreated in the Aardman studio

Director Bram Ttwheam says it was challenge to represent such a 'multi-layered' work

The film was made for BBC Wales's celebrations of the centenary of the poet's birth

Bram Ttwheam, the film's director at Aardman said: "This project was a special proposition for me - an opportunity to dig deep into a poem that reveals more with each reading.

"It was a challenge to represent this multi-layered work without allowing any one aspect to dominate.

"I wanted to make sure that the images were as open to personal interpretation as the poem itself."

The film was made as part of BBC Wales's output to mark the centenary of Dylan Thomas's birth.