A TV drama about the early days of Chester Zoo, which was filmed in Warrington, has been cancelled after just six episodes.

BBC One's Our Zoo has not been commissioned for a second series to 'create room for new shows'.

Big Talk Productions' programme saw Walton Hall transformed to double as Oakfield Manor in the 1930s.

The show starred  Inspector George Gently’s Lee Ingleby as the zoo’s founder George Mottershead.

It pulled in more than 4.5 million viewers an episode during its six-part run and was nominated for two National Television Awards.

Life on Mars’ Liz White played George’s wife Lizzie Mottershead while The Royle Family’s Ralf Little was Lizzie's brother Billy Atkinson.

A spokesman for the BBC said: "We are very proud of Our Zoo and would like to thank all those involved.

"However, in order to create room for new shows and to keep increasing the range of BBC One drama we sometimes have to make hard choices and it will not be returning for a second series."

Our Zoo was written by award-winning playwright Matt Charman and produced by Marcus Wilson, who has worked on Doctor Who.

It was Big Talk’s first drama commission for BBC One and was supported by George Mottershead’s daughter June Williams and Chester Zoo.

Legend has it that George visited Belle Vue Zoo as a child and became so upset at seeing large animals in cages he told his father he would one day create a zoo without bars.

Jamie Christon, managing director of Chester Zoo, said: “While we are of course disappointed about this news, we are delighted that Our Zoo was such a success and remain forever proud that the story of the zoo’s fascinating beginnings has been told on prime time TV."

Meanwhile, the zoo is busy working on a new £30million project called Islands to recreate the habitats of the Philippines, Bali, Sulawesi, Papua, Sumba and Sumatra which is set to open in spring 2015.