DAD’S Army is on the march once more – but this time the ageing warriors are heading north.

A major new all-star film version of the evergreen TV classic is heading for Yorkshire – and Bridlington will be standing in for Walmington-on-Sea.

Filming is about to get underway with Hollywood A-lister Catherine Zeta Jones headlining as a glamorous journalist writing about the exploits of the Home Guard platoon.

Toby Jones takes on the Arthur Lowe role as the pompous Captain Mainwaring while Bill Nighy replaces John le Mesurier as the laid-back Sergeant Wilson.

Film and theatre legend Sir Tom Courtney steps into Clive Dunn’s boots as the dithering Corporal Jones and Dumbledore himself, Michael Gambon, takes over from Arnold Ridley as the medic Private Godfrey.

Bill Paterson will become Frazer, Blake Harrison will play Pike and Danny Mays takes on the role of the spiv Walker. Sarah Lancashire, Alison Steadman, Mark Gatiss and Annette Crosbie make up the rest of the cast.

The original TV series, created by Jimmy Perry and David Croft, ran from 1968 to 1977 and is still regularly repeated. The fictional Walmington-on-Sea was supposed to be on the south coast, but exteriors of the BBC show were filmed around Thetford in Norfolk.

This time however Universal Pictures and the film’s director, Oliver Parker, have decided that Bridlington’s old town is the perfect location and the cameras will start rolling there later this month.

The movie is being backed by Screen Yorkshire and chief executive Sally Joynson said: “It doesn't get much better than this – a truly iconic series, a fabulous cast with some the cream of Britain’s acting talent and all set in the stunning landscapes of Yorkshire.”

The film will be shot entirely in the county although the producers are remaining tight-lipped about which other specific locations have been chosen.

The chief executive of tourism agency Welcome to Yorkshire, Gary Verity, gave an enthusiastic reaction to the news.

?''Yorkshire has been the backdrop to many iconic films and we're delighted, thanks to Screen Yorkshire, that what looks set to be a huge hit will be filmed here,” he said.

“We look forward to welcoming Dad's Army and the stellar cast to the region - we'll make sure they are given a warm Yorkshire welcome."

YOU MAY NOT KNOW...

John Laurie, who played Private Frazer, was the only member of the cast to serve in the Home Guard for real.

Arthur Lowe was a sergeant major during the Second World War.

Carry On star Barbara Windsor made a guest appearance in the sixth episode.

Arthur Lowe had a contract which stipulated that he would not lose his trousers in any episode.

Walmington-on-Sea was actually based on the real town of Bexhill, in Sussex.

The writers took their inspiration for Dad's Army from the Will Hay movie Oh! Mr Porter.

Several cast members from It Ain't Half Hot Mum appeared in Dad's Army. The show was also written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft.