British pigeons take on Hollywood

Forget Shrek and Robots: these plucky British pigeons - played by Ewan McGregor, Ricky Gervais, Jim Broadbent and John Cleese - are set to take on Hollywood. They are the stars of Valiant, the first major computer-generated feature film to be shot in the UK.

More than two years in the making, the £21 million film was created at Ealing Studios by 200-plus animators and is released next month. It follows the fortunes of Valiant, voiced by McGregor, who said: "I play a young, brave, heroic pigeon who's destined to fight for King and Country."

But Valiant is just too tiny for England's elite squad of Second World War carrier pigeons - until they are decimated by sinister Nazi falcon Von Talon, played by Tim Curry. Only Valiant and his ragtag group of pigeon also-rans are left to fly into occupied France, contact the rodent resistance and return information to the Allies.

Director Gary Chapman said: "Valiant was always seen as a mix of Charlie Chaplin and Norman Wisdom, although physically his character is Errol Flynn - that's who Valiant wishes he could be. In reality he's just a chump. I gave Ewan the essence of the character and he went for it."

Valiant's comrades include Bugsy, a reformed pigeon conman, played by Ricky Gervais. "I have always wanted to be a big, mouthy bird," Gervais said. Jim Broadbent plays Sarge. "It's a role I have always wanted to play, a grizzled veteran - the very epitome of an Army drill sergeant," he said.

The story is by screenwriter George Webster and first-time director Chapman, who stumbled across the idea while working at the Imperial War Museum. Carrier pigeons were often used during the Second World War. The bravest birds won the Dickin Medal - the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross. The filmmakers consulted the Amalgamation of Racing Pigeons, whose co-founder Derek Partridge said: "Many people today know nothing about how pigeons were instrumental in saving so many lives."

Valiant, co-produced by Disney, is understood to have cost about three times less than its US animated rival Robots. It received about £2 million in tax breaks because it was made in the UK, and if it is a hit it will boost London's bid to become a centre of computer-generated animation.