A fly-on-the-wall documentary about the life of Oxford's police community support officers is being filmed for ITV.

A crew is spending 10 weeks filming the nine PCSOs who work for the city's three teams in Barton, Blackbird Leys and East Oxford for the series entitled Beat: Life on the Street.

The programme is part of a national recruitment drive for PCSOs and programme makers have received funding from the Home Office to produce the series of six half hour programmes.

PCSOs are being filmed at home as well as at work - last week they were filmed at St Giles Fair, Blackbird Leys Parish Council and on the streets of Barton. A separate crew are also filming in Preston, Lancashire.

It comes after another fly-on-the-wall series set in Oxford, The Singing Estate, which followed amateur singers in Blackbird Leys rehearsing then performing at the Albert Hall.

Beat series producer Jules Seymour said: "We are following the sort of things they come across on a day-to-day basis and how they react with the community, but also the quirky aspects of their day job and the different characters they speak to.

"The PCSOs are all great - really good, strong characters who are really committed to the job.

"The reason we chose to film in Oxford is because it has a very diverse community.

"There are the dreaming spires in the centre and the estates which people don't hear much about on the periphery."

Rachel Semczyszyn, who has been a police community support officer in Barton for just over a year, is one of the PCSOs being filmed.

She said: "Having the film crew around is a bit strange really, it has taken a bit of getting used to and we have to get people's consent every time we speak to someone.

"The first time it was really uncomfortable and a bit odd.

"But after you have done it once or twice it comes naturally and I just talk to the producer about things.

"A few people don't like it, but a lot of the jobs we deal with are not that serious so they are happy for their pictures to be shown."

Police spokesman Rachel McQuilliam said: "There are PCSOs all over the country, so it is quite lucky to have been chosen.

"We worked very closely with them (the television company) before they began filming to ensure the guidelines were set down so everyone knew how it would work for both sides.

"The PCSOs have been very enthusiastic about their job and really welcome the opportunity to show the general public what is so great about it. We are very pleased to be involved."

The series is due to be screened on ITV1 from the beginning of next month.