FILMING has started in the region on a new drama telling the life story of one of the North’s most notorious female serial killers.

Dark Angel stars Downton Abbey's Joanne Froggatt and follows the life of Mary Ann Cotton, the Victorian poisoner who was convicted of killing three of her four husbands, but could have had a further 21 victims including many of her children.

She was hanged for murder in Durham Jail in 1873.

Ms Froggatt, who was born and brought up near Whitby, North Yorkshire plays the lead role following her award winning depiction of ladies' maid Anna Bates in ITV's Downton Abbey.

Filming started in York’s Rowntree Park this week and will be moving to other parts of North Yorkshire and County Durham, where Cotton carried out many of her darkest deeds.

Simon Bartle of York Past and Present history group captured photographs of the filming in Rowntree Park and gave permission for The Northern Echo to use them.

The two part production is being made by ITV with World Productions. They say the drama introduces Cotton as a loving wife and mother, newly returned to her native North-East. But faced with abject poverty and an ailing husband, she decides to ruthlessly pursue her desires and a better life.

Controller of drama, Victoria Fea described Cotton as a poisoner whose methods left no visible scars, allowing her tally of victims to mount unsuspected by Victorian society, who were unable to conceive of a woman being capable of such terrible crimes.

Travelling round the North-East, she insinuates herself into unsuspecting families, marrying and creating new family of her own, before killing them, taking their money and moving on.

Ms Fea said: “Through adultery, bigamy, fraud and murder, Mary Ann betters herself socially and financially. But the more she kills, the greater the risk her crimes will finally be exposed.

“Dark Angel is an extraordinary and chilling true story. We’re delighted to have an actress of Joanne Froggatt’s calibre in the lead role.

"The combination of a tautly written script, an outstanding cast and great producers in World Productions make this a really exciting addition to the ITV drama slate.”

The drama is inspired by the book “Mary Ann Cotton: Britain’s First Female Serial Killer” by David Wilson. The drama has been written by Gwyneth Hughes, will be directed by Brian Percival who directed Downton Abbey and is due for release in the New Year.