ONCE every five years a script drops through the letterbox of Cononley actor Peter Armitage that he finds impossible to refuse.

ITV's drama "The Second Coming" was one of them.

In the drama, Peter plays Frank Baxter, whose son, Steve, finds out he is the next Messiah.

"It's about a man who works in a video store, who's not very successful with women, and so on, who gets chosen to be the next Christ," he said.

"I play his father, whose wife left him 10 years before and is a very bitter single parent. He is a bit of a 'ducker and diver' and is in the pub a lot!"

Peter said that the drama, shot in a documentary style, was more irreligious than religious.

"It isn't going to offend anyone," he said. "The message is that if you're going to play God, then you start having to think about your actions.

"This Messiah doesn't do miracles, except to get attention. It is more of a wake-up call."

Steve is sent to tell mankind that they must write their own Third Testament or face Judgement Day, but struggles to convince everyone he is what he says he is.

Eventually he performs a miracle, turning night into day at Manchester City football ground.

The drama was shot over the summer and stars Christopher Eccleston in the principal role, and Lesley Sharp as his girlfriend.

Written by Russell T Davies, writer of the Queer as Folk series and Bob and Rose, it was directed by Adrian Shergold. It has already received good reviews from two out of three of the critics on BBC Two's Late Review.

"Every so often a script drops through your letterbox and you think, this is a bit different and the story line is so good, you want to be involved with it," said Peter.

"I am proud to be part of the whole thing. It is a combined effort and everybody worked hard on this. We worked late some nights, knowing it was an important piece. As a piece of drama we all thought it was worth doing."

Peter has been a familiar face on the screen this winter starring in Emmerdale and is due to finish on the soap on March. He also starred recently in Fat Friends and Holby City.

The Second Coming starts on Sunday at 9pm with the concluding part the following night at the same time.