A Hollywood remake of the heroic Dambusters story has bounced back to life just weeks after it appeared to be grounded.

Reports from New Zealand have revealed Oscar-winning director Peter Jackson visited an aerodrome on the Pacific Ocean island to view developments on the project.

Work on one of eight full-scale Lancaster bomber replicas has been completed with a Second World War airfield also being mocked-up.

Plans to remake the classic 1954 film were first announced in 2006 although doubts emerged after the New Zealander took on other blockbuster projects including Tintin and The Hobbit.

But Jackson's spokesman Matthew Dravitzki told Kiwi paper The Dominion Post that script writing and Lancaster bomber building was on-going, with the movie still in the development stages.

"Right now we are having fun working on a number of different projects and have the luxury to make things at our own speed," said Mr Dravitzki.

"We are yet to choose the location for the film's shooting and that is going to come down to wherever is most suitable for our needs."

Sir David Frost will produce the new adaptation with British Comedian Stephen writing the script which tells the story of RAF Squadron 617's brave mission to destroy Nazi dams with bouncing bombs.

Frost, Fry and Jackson have all visited the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre, near Spilsby, and curator Andrew Panton said they were taxied up and down the runway in a Lancaster bomber.

For the full story see Friday's Lincolnshire Echo.