A FUTURISTIC sci-fi puppet series penned by Thunderbirds creator Gerry Anderson is set to come to life.

Firestorm was developed by the television pioneer in 2001 before a Japanese company released his work as an anime series two years later.

Now his son Jamie Anderson wants to raise funds to produce a pilot episode of the show, developed from the original notes and scripts of his father, who died in 2012.

The show would use an modernised version of the puppetry made famous in shows such as Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet.

Thirty-year-old Mr Anderson, who lives near Faringdon, said: “I have been working on keeping my dad’s legacy going ever since he died to make sure his unfinished stuff was completed and his work is celebrated.

“There is something magical that happens when a puppet is brought to life by a puppeteer. Part of the charm is seeing the strings and then forgetting them.”

The series follows the story of organisation Storm Force and its operation Firestorm, set up to combat terrorist group Black Orchid in 2202.

A Kickstarter campaign was launched last September to raise the initial funds for Mr Anderson’s team to start developing the puppets, models and sets for the series.

Within two months, more than 1,415 backers had pledged £88,931 and the team were able to produce a short teaser episode.

Mr Anderson said he felt “immensely proud” to be leading the project after deciding to revive his father’s work two years ago.

The managing director of Anderson Entertainment added: “Dad and his entire team loved every part of it and because they made what they loved, they made something that has endured and become timeless.

“We will be able to make something really special which I hope, if he had been here today, Dad would have been really proud of.”

Anderson Entertainment has joined with Goldfinch Entertainment, which aims to support British films by raising money through private investors. To help raise additional funds of up to £150,000, people can now invest, with those putting in their cash getting a £1 stake for 36p. The money will be used to produce a 30-minute pilot episode.

The team behind the Firestorm project includes the Hollywood prop maker Ken Palkow, the voice behind the original Thunderbirds series’ Scott Tracy, Shane Rimmer, and the voice behind Alan Tracy, Matt Zimmerman.

It comes as a new CGI version ofInternational Rescue’s adventures, Thunderbirds Are Go, has begun on ITV.