Captain Scarlet is indestructible

The "indestructible" hero was created in 1967 by the man behind Thunderbirds, Gerry Anderson, using puppets with lifelike faces.

Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons is now being turned into a 26-part animated cartoon by Anderson himself.

The new version will be made at the famous Pinewood Studios in the UK and is expected to be screened in 2005.

Anderson said: "This is the most exciting project of my career. It is something I have been working towards for several years and I am thrilled that we are going into production."

Captain Scarlet won a new generation of fans when BBC Two resurrected it in recent years.

The old series used a technique called "supermarionation", using fine wires to move the puppets, but the new series will use computer-generated characters.

"When I worked with puppets I strived to make them as believable as possible. Now I can achieve this," said Anderson.

The series will again be set in the year 2068 but it will become more politically correct as female agents go into frontline battle against the Mysterons.

"We are keeping the faces of the key characters but we are re-designing the uniforms, developing totally new vehicles and Cloud Base will be bigger and better," added Anderson.

Original Captain Scarlet director David Lane has been brought back to oversee its latest incarnation.