Burton plays a forensic pathologist in Silent Witness

Alan Wright, chief executive of the series' producers Arrowhead, told BBC News Online: "It's a character we hope will find favour with the audience.

"As with all these things, its future will be determined by ratings."

"But it has been consciously designed as a returning series," he added.

ITV piloted Helen West with a one-off episode in 1999, starring Juliet Stevenson, but the actress did not want to commit herself to a series.

Sleuth

Amanda Burton, who stars in the BBC's Silent Witness, has twice won the UK's National Television Award for most popular actress.

Silent Witness, in which Burton plays a forensic pathologist and sleuth, was created by former policeman Nigel McCreary and has become a ratings hit for BBC One.

Burton is currently filming a new series for BBC One.

The actress described her new ITV role, Helen West, as "a modern everywoman".

"Helen's very, very good at her job, but she's also very fallible," said the actress.

The Fyfield novels will be adapted in three, two-hour parts with a cast that includes Conor Mullen, Martin Freeman, Jessica Oyelowo and Anthony Howell.

ITV, which has suffered a dip in both ratings and advertising revenue, is keen to find a new mainstream series to pull in large audiences and is hoping that the legal drama will be a ratings success.

Alan Wright, the series producer, described Fyfield's Helen West novels as "not whodunits but whydunits".