A CRAFTSMAN from Holmer Green has been used by the BBC to teach an actor in a nativity play how to turn wood.

Stuart King, 57, of Watchet Lane, was asked by the BBC to help them out for their controversial Christmas drama, It's a Girl, after finding his website.

They needed someone to provide an antique treadle lathe and other background tools as well as to teach John Thompson, star of ITV series, Cold Feet.

The play is set in northern England during the 19th century and stars John as Joseph, who talks about Mary being pregnant, believing the child will be a girl.

Stuart said: "I never thought I'd be employed to teach Joseph wood-turning!" before going on to describe John's attempts at wood-turning.

He added: "He must be quite a practical sort of person. He took to it quite easily."

Viewers can see long shots of John making a wooden toy for the new baby but close-up shots are of Stuart's hands making the toy.

The programme has attracted criticism from people like Lord Alton, the Catholic Lib Dem peer, as evidence of BBC dumbing down.

Lord Alton said the drama was not intelligent or entertaining and would upset people. Stuart, however, disagreed.

The programme will be shown on Christmas Day, on BBC 1 at 11pm.