STAFF at a North-East veterinary practice are set to become household names after being chosen to star in a major BBC fly-on-the-wall series.

Film-makers will spend three months chronicling daily life at Castle Vets, in Barnard Castle, for a 15-part documentary series due to be shown on BBC2 early next year.

The practice was contacted by a researcher from the corporation and a film crew spent a day with vets earlier this summer shooting pilot footage.

Practice manager Denise Coston said following that initial visit, the BBC had decided to go ahead and commission the series.

It will be made by BBC Scotland and as well as focusing on Castle Vets, a practice in Fife will also be featured.

“They are due to start filming with us at the beginning of August, following the day-to-day work of the vets,” said Mrs Coston.

Castle Vets offers a round-the-clock service and the film crew will be on call with the vets.

“Some of the most interesting cases come in overnight or at the weekend,” added Mrs Coston.

The practice was established more than 70 years ago and has 38 staff, which includes 15 vets.

It has evolved from a traditional dales practice to focus on three areas – equine, farm animals and pets.

In addition to its main base on the Harmire Enterprise Park, Barnard Castle, there is a branch office at St Helen Auckland, which opened in 1992 and was refurbished in 2007 to enable a more comprehensive range of operations and procedures to take place.

Mrs Coston said all staff had agreed to take part in the documentary and were looking forward to the start of filming.

She said she hoped the documentary would help showcase Teesdale as well as the work of the practice.

“I think it will be interesting for clients to see what does go on and I think it will be good for Teesdale as well.”

As well as covering rural County Durham, Castle Vets is also part of XL Vets, a group of independently owned practices which have worked together since 2005 to share skills, experience and knowledge.

The group also works alongside academic organisations and commercial research and manufacturing companies ensuring practices remain at the forefront of developments in the world of veterinary science.