Film crews are expected in Meltham as work starts on a new series of the hit TV drama Happy Valley.

The second series of the award winning police thriller is set to be broadcast next year.

But production work is starting later this week with much of it set to be done throughout Calderdale.

Some scenes are expected to be filmed in locations above Meltham.

The first series, starring former Coronation Street favourite Sarah Lancashire, won a number of awards.

Take a look back at Sarah Lancashire's career over the years.

Catherine (Sarah Lancashire) and Praveen (Ramon Tikaram) in last week's episode
Catherine (Sarah Lancashire) and Praveen (Ramon Tikaram)

Lancashire is to return for the second series of the BBC drama, written by Sally Wainwright.

And she is set to be joined by two other former Corrie stars.

They are Julie Hesmondhalgh, who played Hayley Cropper, and Katherine Kelly, who played Becky.

Loved series one? Click here for 20 facts about the top drama you may not know!

Other newcomers are expected to be Vincent Franklin, Con O’Neill, Downton Abbey actor Kevin Doyle and Amelia Bullmore.

Huddersfield-born author Sally Wainwright created a huge hit, which was watched by up to 8m people.

Many were shocked by the extreme violence depicted in the series but the series went on to win a number of awards.

See pictures of this year's Bafta TV awards, in which Happy Valley won Best Drama.

Wainwright said: “I am thrilled to be embarking on a second series. We were delighted and overwhelmed with the viewers’ response to series one and it’s clear that there’s a huge appetite to see more of the characters and drama among the TV-viewing public.”

Lancashire plays police sergeant Catherine Cawood who was attacked by killer Tommy Lee Royce (James Norton) before he was finally arrested and jailed.

Royce is behind bars as the second series gets under way and Sgt Cawood is confronted by fears that another serial killer is on the loose.

Wainwright has promised lighter moments in series 2, revealing in a newspaper interview in December last year that she wants to introduce more “comic” scenes into the drama.

She said: “I am thrilled to be embarking on a second series.

“We were delighted and overwhelmed with the viewers’ response to series one and it’s clear that there’s a huge appetite to see more of the characters and drama among the TV viewing public.”