A SHORT film paying homage to one of Britain's best-loved crime capers has been released by the organisers of Bournemouth's Wheels Festival.

Paul Swift and his precision driving team are filmed hurtling along Bournemouth seafront in a trio of red, white and blue Mini Cooper S's, in an Italian Job-style car chase with an English seaside twist.

Preparations for the 2016 Wheels Festival have entered the home straight - the event takes place across Bournemouth in just over a month.

There will be four more videos released over the next few weeks, ahead of a full length feature.

While chase sequences for the original 1969 film - starring Michael Caine, Noel Coward and Bennie Hill - were largely set in the congested streets of Turin, the Bournemouth version takes place at locations such a Bournemouth Pier, West Cliff Zig Zag, the lower gardens and the promenade.

Wheels Festival organisers confirmed there are no current plans to alter the East Overcliff Drive demonstration route, following the landslip at East Cliff last weekend.

Earlier this month the original Stig was announced as special guest star of the inaugural Wheels Gala Dinner.

Racing driver Perry McCarthy appeared in 22 episodes of the BBC Top Gear series as the original black-suited Stig.

He was eventually 'killed off' while attempting to race to 100mph then stop on the flight deck of the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Invincible.

The Bournemouth Wheels Festival, which includes non-stop, high speed action along the demonstration straight, monster metal crushing madness, gravity defying quad bike jumps and breathtaking BMX and skateboard tricks, rolls into town for its third year from June 3-5.

Visit facebook.com/bournemouthwheelsfestival to watch the video.