BLACKBURN was turned into a TV set as the producers of a new BBC black comedy series filmed in the town centre.

The college, shopping centre, boulevard and the BT building in Jubilee Street are being used as locations for the production, Brief Lives, set in the world of duty solicitors, interviews, bail hearings, committals and sentencing.

Blackburn College was transformed into a police station and joiners and scaffolders constructed a set in Astley Gate to be used as a magistrates' court.

The half-hour series, set in the north of England and starring Phil Daniels and Ray Emmet Brown, will be shown over 11 weeks on BBC 2 early next year.

Ben Harvey, location manager for World Productions, producers of the series, said: "We chose Blackburn because the director liked some of the architecture here and it's what he wanted in the series.

"The back of the shopping centre in Astley Gate is going to be used as the magistrates' court and we are using the BT building as the back of the police station."