ONE of the film-world's most famous child stars of the 60s has been lured out of retirement - by cartoon makers in Galashiels.

Heather Ripley, who played Jemima in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, gave up acting shortly after her star performance in the 1968 blockbuster.

And the Dundee-born actress went on to become a prominent anti-nuclear activist.

But the 60-year-old hadn't made any more film appearances since the 1968 classic - until she got a call from a fledgling film-makers based in a Langlee pub.

Heather agreed to voice the part of Arnie's mum, Babs, in Langlee Studios' debut production, Lavatory of Terror, after a surprise call from writer and director Cubbs Turnbull.

The Woodcutter landlord told us: "I had been watching Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and wondered what the girl who played Jemima had been in after the film.

"It turned out Heather never acted again and she was living in Dundee.

"We were looking for someone to voice Arnie's mum in Lavatory of Terror so we gave her a call.

"Heather was great and at the cost of a donation to charity she did her lines over the phone.

"Heather has now done two films in her life - Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and our Lavatory of Terror."

Heather only has the two lines in the hilarious debut production - 'Right Arnie, that's me away. I'll see you on Monday'.

And as opposed to starring alongside Dick Van Dyke, Sally Ann Howes, Barbara Windsor and Benny Hill, the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang child-actor's second role was with a barman, a roads engineer and a mill worker.

But according to the cast and crew at Langlee Productions, she thoroughly enjoyed her second spell in the limelight.

Cubbs added: "Heather was a great sport and we had a laugh, that's for sure."

As well as starring locals Arnie Turnbull and Kevin Denholm the new 10-minute short also features the voice of YouTube sensation Charlie Hopkinson.

The impressionist-comedian provides a Morgan Freeman-esque narration throughout the animated film.

Lavatory of Terror was written by Cubbs last spring.

And through the summer and autumn the cartoon was brought to life by animator Allan Nicol.

It tells the story of Langlee local Arnie who is trapped inside his mum's bathroom during a long weekend.

As well as befriending a spider and a koala bear hallucination, he acquires a taste for toilet cleaner.

A soft-release of Lavatory of Terror was made on YouTube at the weekend.

And it is hoped that a red-carpet premiere will be held in the coming months ahead of submissions to film festivals and BBC Shorts.

For barman Arnie it was a dream to voice a character beside the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang star.

He said: "It was tremendous fun to make Lavatory of Terror and having Heather as part of the cast made it even more special.

"We had a really good team of people doing the film and we are already planning a few more - we have a script ready for the second film where I end up in rehab and Donald Trump also makes an appearance."

Providing the soundtrack for Lavatory of Terror was up-and-coming Galashiels band Gracie-Rose and the Dreads.

Langlee Studios are planning a series of up to six animated films over the next two years.

You can view Lavatory of Terror at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnevdlbPfYQ&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR0qi5mhhgeyzTm0uqhkBQH6jSozj_TDg5KY5kz7e9DDwquWHTWvQ4_DsBg