AN Inverclyde writer says his dreams have come true after his new mystery thriller was released as a new eight-part podcast.

Chris Patrick, a playwright and producer, has been working on Search - The Series for a number of years.

He first had the idea for the story while working on the checkouts at Tesco in Port Glasgow back in 2011.

His idea revolved around the infamous 1990s BBC documentary TV film Ghostwatch and the fact that the audience believed it to be real and were part of the journey.

Chris, 30, a former St Stephen's High pupil who was born in Greenock and has lived in Greenock and Port Glasgow, scribbled his idea down on the back of a Tesco store receipt - and now it has become a reality.

He said: "It’s been a genuine thrill to finally have the opportunity to make Search and I can’t wait to share the story with audiences.

"It’s been a journey getting it to this stage, but that’s nothing to the journey audiences are going to go on.

"We’ve put together a fantastic cast and team of people to bring the story and characters to life.

"It's been a joy to work with them on it and the project."

The drama stars a host of Scottish talent including Kirsty Strain, of BBC's Guilt fame, Karen Bartke, who stars in Scot Squad and stage stars Colin Little and Euan Cuthbertson.

Unlike Ghostwatch, Search - The Series is not pretending to be a real investigation but gives the feeling, through phone calls and meetings with various characters, that the story is real as it is unfolding.

It follows journalist Matt McNair, played by Little, who is sent footage of a mysterious figure appearing at locations throughout Scotland.

After receiving it, he travels the country to investigate the mystery and discovers untold secrets, including the truth of his father’s disappearance many years before.

Talented writer Chris is no stranger to the limelight and his dark comedy Fools On A Hill, about the crucifixion, featured at the Beacon in 2017.

Chris, who has a degree in film and television studies from the University of Glasgow, said: "I’m so grateful to those who have helped Search along its development to its production, from Inverclyde Place Partnership, to BBC's The Social and all the team I worked on developing it with there, to Creative Scotland, the cast and creative team.

"Hopefully series one is just the beginning, and we get to do this all over again soon."

The project has been funded via the National Lottery and the first three episodes are available online now at www.search-the-series.com and on all podcast platforms from February 15, with subsequent episodes to be released weekly until March 22.