Tweenies, Fimbles and Teletubbies have Celtic competition from a bobble-hatted trio promising to spice up children's television.

Nib, Bobbin and Oggy - the Bobinogs - live in a hat in Owen's bedroom and spring to life when the schoolboy is not around.

Their bright new animated series, produced by Superted makers Siriol for BBC Wales, is the broadcaster's first English-language animation for pre-school youngsters.

But, while the colourful characters are eyeing the network places of their new wave pals, Bobinogs also sticks to the Welsh school curriculum online and on TV.

The 10-part series, broadcast each Thursday on BBC2 Wales at 1050 GMT, began on 16 January.

Nib, Bobbin and Oggy tackle issues for their age-group - making friends, conquering nerves and even asking to go to the toilet.

The Bobinogs take a peek through the 'Bobinoculars', a cartoon binocular character who offers clues about the workings of the adult world.

Learning

But the trio soon discover that - like riding a bike without stabilisers or swimming without armbands - nothing is as scary as it may first appear.

The youngsters' magical hats even reflect their changing moods, drooping when sad and perking up when happy, before their wearers end each 15-minute episode with a song and a dance.

The idea is to use fantasy friends like Nib, Bobbin and Oggy to teach children early social skills. Eleri Wyn Lewis, BBC Wales

The idea was hatched in March 2002 and developed through brainstorming with Sheila Fraser - the brains behind children's classics Playschool, Jackanory and Hoops.

"Children live in a make-believe world much of the time," says BBC Wales Head of Education and Learning Eleri Wyn Lewis.

"The idea with Bobinogs is to address that using fantasy friends like Nib, Bobbin and Oggy to teach children early social skills.

"They are child-like humans who Owen talks to, combining live action in the studio and filmed sequences at the nurseries as well as animation and song."

Flash

But Bobinogs is one of the first projects to use Macromedia Flash web animation software on a television production.

The simple, child-like lines of the series made the package the ideal choice, says Lyn Stockford of Cardiff's Siriol - also responsible for Fireman Sam and Sali Mali.

"We prefer to use traditional methods, but Flash is economical," she told BBC News Online.

"We are very excited about it - it's the way of the future."