The Jim Henson Workshop creatures with a 'Norn Iron' twang have made their way to the Sesame Tree - Ulster's version of Sesame Street - and judging by this sneak peek, they are sure to be a hit with children.

Potto, Hilda and Claribelle arrived in Ulster earlier this week after a mammoth journey from New York.

After settling into their new residence, the trio - with a few other sidekicks - took part in rehearsals for a new educational TV series.

The characters were developed by local Sesame Tree production company Sixteen South, part of the Inferno Group, which is producing the series with Sesame Workshop.

Potto, the big purple furry character, has been described as being gentle, bookish and a brilliant inventor. He will attempt - with the help of Hilda, a young Irish hare who races around at great speeds in her special pink guddies - to give answers to children's questions to the Sesame Tree each week.

They will have help in the form of Claribelle, a bright, loveable and eccentric character who occasionally visits the tree; the Bookworms, two helpful and friendly worm-Muppets who live among Potto's books; and the three Weatherberries - Muppet fruit - that hang together in a bunch on a branch inside the Sesame Tree.

The creators hope that the programme will show the diversity of Ulster from a child's perspective.

Potto will also occasionally contact his "family" in the US, allowing local viewers to see their characters talk to global Sesame Street icons such as Bert and Ernie and Cookie Monster.

Colin Williams, executive producer for Sesame Tree said staff and crew were looking forward to working with the new additions.

"It was fabulous to meet the Muppets in the flesh or should I say fur, for the first time," he said.

"And of course, our specially created Northern Ireland Muppets have an important job too in the education of young people. Sesame Tree has been developed to support the new NI curriculum, specifically the Foundation and Pre-School stages."

Sesame Tree will be broadcast next spring on BBC NI