A new series of 1960s children's TV show Thunderbirds is set to be made in New Zealand, in collaboration with Weta Workshop and Wellington's Pukeko Pictures.

Britain's ITV Studios, which owns the series' rights, will co-produce the 26-episode series, with the working title Thunderbirds are Go!

It's set to be broadcast in England on ITV and the UK's CITV Channel in 2015.

The fictional sci-fi series, which revolves around the rescue missions of the five heroic Tracy brothers, will be produced using CGI animation and live-action model sets.

It is currently in pre-production.

The original Thunderbirds was created by British couple Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, using marionette puppets.

Mr Anderson died in December, aged 83.

In a statement, ITV Studios says the series will showcase Pukeko Pictures' and Weta's ground-breaking creative and technical excellence to deliver "a whole new level of action-adventure animation for today's audience, whilst also affectionately paying tribute to the legacy of model locations from the classic series".

Sir Richard Taylor and Andrew Smith of Pukeko Pictures will have executive producer credits.

Sir Richard, who won Oscars for Weta's work on the Lord of the Rings trilogy and King Kong, recalls watching Thunderbirds in black and white as a child.

"It is thrilling therefore to think we have the opportunity to work with ITV on this new series inspired by this most wonderful of British shows," he said.

"I personally, together with the teams here at Pukeko Pictures and Weta Workshop, look forward to designing and creating an inspirational world that will engage the imagination of a whole new generation as it did for us nearly half a century ago."