SINGER Kimberley Walsh is to play a "home-wrecking" netball teacher in the upcoming second series of Channel 4 school drama Ackley Bridge.

The Bradford-born Girls Aloud star has been cast as Clare Butterworth, the feisty ex-wife of PE teacher Steve, played by Paul Nicholls, and mother to their child Zak.

Her character is set to ruffle some feathers when she turns up at Ackley Bridge and is branded a "sly, home-wrecking netball teacher" by Jo Joyner's character Mandy.

She had agreed to stay away from the school as Steve's ex, but now that he has split with head teacher Mandy, Clare sees no reason to stay away when she needs Steve to look after Zak.

Instead she jumps at the chance to get her claws back into Steve and put Mandy’s nose out of joint.

Of her guest role, Kimberley said: “It was so much fun appearing as Claire in Ackley Bridge, it’s such a fantastic show with a brilliant cast so it was an honour to be part of it!

"Claire is quite different to other characters I’ve played in the past. She is sassy and strong and comes to blows a few times with Mandy which was really fun to play.

"It was great fun working with Jo Joyner and Paul Nicholls on this storyline."

Ackley Bridge is set in a fictional Yorkshire mill town, home to divided white and Asian populations.

When two formerly isolated comprehensives are merged into a new academy, Ackley Bridge College, lives and cultures collide.

The drama was created by Ayub Khan Din, who wrote East is East, and is filmed in Halifax.

Series one stars Jo Joyner, Paul Nicholls, Sunetra Sarker, Liz White, Adil Ray, Arsher Ali, Poppy Lee-Friar, Amy Leigh-Hickman, Arsher Ali, return for series two and are joined by Tony Jayawardena.

Two young Bradford actors, Maariah Hussain and Sam Bottomley, took on roles in the first series, having attended the Bradford-based Yorkshire School of Acting.

Bradford Grammar School pupil Maariah played 16-year-old Alya Nawaz, described as “super intelligent, fiercely righteous, and a bit of a mean girl” - in her first role.

Sam played Jordan Wilson, 15, who is badly behaved and not fazed by getting into trouble. He’s bright and a talented artist, but thinks school is pointless.

Matt Zina, principal of the Yorkshire Acting School, confirmed that both Maariah and Sam are reprising their roles for the second series.

"They are enjoying being back on set and are about half way through filming for what will be 12 episodes this series," he said.