THEY have melted Terminator robots, made King Kong roar and done magic tricks with Harry Potter.

They are the alumni of Bournemouth University's National Centre for Computer Animation, recently named the best in the country by a leading industry magazine, and one of the foremost centres worldwide.

And now it seems difficult to find a digitally-animated film that does not have at least someone from Bournemouth on the team - whether it's Shrek, the Lord of the Rings series or the 12-strong team from BU that worked on Happy Feet.

"When we started back in 1989, there was nothing in the UK in this field," says course director Peter Comninos. "We were pioneers having to make it up as we went along. As soon as we started the demand from students was huge.

"We've always taken the view that you have to combine the technical and creative to make it in animation - like an F1 driver who has to understand the limitations of his engine to stop him stalling the car."

It is this ethos, combined with large investment in the technology that earned the department the top spot in 3D Magazine's recent poll of the country's best animation institutions.

That reputation goes round the world. The Chinese government has commissioned them to draw up national animation standards, and they are bidding for the contract to digitise the history of the Beijing Opera with motion capture.

Mr Comninos said: "The big growth industry is computer games. It's bigger than Hollywood, and people don't realise that Britain is a world leader in it.

"There is an irreverent attitude in this country that makes our students naturally creative. We foster that and combine it with technical knowledge.

"They are working both sides of the brain. If you measure the temperature at the top of an animator's head, it's quite hot."

Animation is certainly a patient person's game. Top companies can spend weeks adding minute details that are on-screen for a split second.

"It can drive you insane," says 20-year-old third-year student William Alexander. "But I love the challenge and it's worth it when you see the end result."