ROARING on to children’s television this week was former Penketh High School pupil Curtis Jobling’s latest creation Raa Raa the Noisy Lion.

Tales of the cub and his pals in the Jingly Jangly Jungle aired for the first time on CBeebies on Monday after the Bob the Builder designer was inspired by a car journey home four years ago.

Curtis, aged 39, said: “When I lived in north Yorkshire we would play car games with the children to keep them entertained when we were driving to visit family in Warrington.

“We had gone through all the farm animals singing Old McDonald had a Farm so I said ‘what does a lion say’ and the kids said ‘raa raa’.

“That was when the first seed of the idea was planted.”

Rhythm, rhyme and repetition are key to the animated series as Raa Raa and his friends Huffty the elephant, Topsy the giraffe, Crocky the crocodile, Zebby the zebra and Ooo Ooo the monkey help young children communicate ensuring the show is ‘nutritional’ as well as entertaining for pre-school children.

Filming the 52 episodes at the Chapman Entertainment studios, Altrincham, brought back happy memories for Curtis as it was the same studio where Bob the Builder was produced 14 years ago.

Warrington Wolves supporter Curtis admitted he caused a stir with fans after giving Bob the Builder character Spud a red and green scarf ‘as a nod’ to the club’s away kit.

He said: “Raa Raa is a little lion cub with a big attitude and a bigger afro.

“I was asked recently if there were any nods to Warrington again in this series and I think Matt King coincidentally looks a bit like the show’s lead character!”

Working alongside his usual collaborators, including fellow former Penketh High School pupil puppetmaker Ian Mackinnon, and with GMTV star Lorraine Kelly as narrator, Curtis added it was nice to be producing a show with ‘global appeal when work is on your doorstep’.

The father-of-four said: “We watched the first episode together sitting on the sofa with milk and cookies.

“I think I will find out today what the reaction is in my children’s nursery, when they ask did you watch my daddy’s new show and the other kids say ‘you’re a liar’!

“Pre-school television is quite a competitive market and definitely a challenge but Chapman have got a lot of experience.”

l Raa Raa the Noisy Lion is on Cbeebies at 3.30pm every week day.