The two starred in the film Curse Of The Were-Rabbit. Now the creator of the characters Nick Park says that he is pleased to be returning to the 30-minute format.

"I love making films for the cinema but the production of Chicken Run and Curse Of The Were-Rabbit were virtually back to back and each film took five years to complete.

"A Matter Of Loaf And Death will be so much quicker to make. I'm delighted to be back into production and back with BBC One with Wallace and Gromit.

"Over the years the BBC has been incredibly supportive of Wallace and Gromit, this film feels like their homecoming."

The new film reunites Nick Park with writer Bob Baker who co-wrote both the earlier shorts The Wrong Trousers and A Close Shave.

Sally Lindsay will be the voice of Piella Bakewell, alongside Peter Sallis who voices Wallace.

In the new adventure Wallace and Gromit have opened a new bakery – Top Bun. Business is booming, not least because a deadly Cereal Killer is targeting all the bakers in town and so competition is drying up.

Gromit is worried that they may be the next victims but Wallace couldn't care – he's fallen head over heels in love with Piella Bakewell, former star of the Bake-O-Lite bread commercials.

So Gromit is left to run things on his own when he'd much rather be getting better acquainted with Piella's lovely pet poodle Fluffles.

Before long Gromit makes a shocking discovery which points to the killer's true identity. Can he save his master from becoming the next baker to be butchered? And does Fluffles know more than she is saying?

The BBC says that this is a classic "who-doughnut" mystery, as four-time Academy Award-winning director Nick Park creates a hilarious new masterpiece in the tradition of the master of suspense Alfred Hitchcock.

BBC One controller Jay Hunt says, "I am delighted that Wallace and Gromit will be part of our Christmas schedule on BBC One. A Matter Of Loaf And Death is just the sort of unmissable family entertainment that epitomises the channel at its very best."