IN PICTURES: Preparation begins at the Black Country Living Museum ahead of Peaky Blinders filming

Props have been parachuted into the Dudley museum ahead of the imminent start of filming for the third series of the hit BBC Two show.

Cillian Murphy will appear again as Tommy Shelby, head of the family and leader of the notorious Birmingham gang known as the Peaky Blinders.

Producers have been in town this week ready for filming to start, with staff at the museum among those asked if they want to appear as extras in the show.

There are some noticeable additions at the museum's canal basin as production staff started the early work in dressing the museum.

The museum will be transformed into the setting for 1920s scrap metal merchants Charles Strong in the programme.

Work has begun to meticulously arrange and recreate the sets of the past two seasons. Sacks of hay, chains and boxes have already been piled up as the film crew get ready to turn the museum into the show's Small Heath backdrop.

A white removal van is parked up in the canal basin, which looks out of place in the museum's normally perfect representation of the past.

The new series promises to be bigger and better than ever, with British actor Paddy Considine joining the star-studded cast for the show which follows the journey of Birmingham's Shelby family.

Steven Knight, who writes all episodes said, "I am genuinely thrilled at the prospect of season three. I think it will be the best yet.

"Lots of things familiar but lots of things are new. It's still a Birmingham story and it always will be.

"Now, it has international consequences. I can't wait to see it myself."

Excited visitors today welcomed the return, hailing it as a boost for the Black Country.

Fan of the show Steve Hill, 58, from Wolverhampton, said: "I'm pleased they're doing another season as I wasn't sure they would after the last one.

"It's great they film in the local area and it shows the museum off and puts it on the map.

"When you're watching it's nice to try to pick out where the bits were filmed.

"I've watched both of the first two series and I think it's really good. I'm glad they're doing a new one."

Birmingham resident Robert George, 60, said Peaky Blinders 'is one of the best programmes I've seen for yonks and welcomed the start of filming.

"I think it's great they've got it as accurate as they probably can.

"Hopefully they keep it as it was for the first two seasons."

Peaky Blinders is due to be shown on the BBC next year.