FANS of Ralf Little might be shocked to see him dressed in a lizard suit for his latest role.

The 22-year-old actor, who is best known for playing Antony in The Royle Family, donned the flamboyant suit for his new feature film.

The Embassy World Darts Championship provides the unusual backdrop for the movie Poison Arrows which tells the tale of a darts star of the future.

Ralf has won the role of Peter "the Poison Arrow" Peters, a young darts player who reaches the final of the tournament in 2008.

The Bury actor, who attended Bolton School, plays the determined character who succeeds in the sport despite a bizarre under-arm throwing action.

His character, who wears an outfit billed as "half lizard, half superhero", hails from a family of Kung Fu experts.

Real life darts stars are expected to also appear in the film with Andy "The Viking" Fordham, Raymond "Barney" Barneveld and Ted "The Count" Hankey all considering roles.

Famous referee Martin Fitzmaurice and his legendary catchphrase "Let's play darts" will feature prominently in the film, which should be due out to coincide with the 2004 world darts tournament.

Filming has started in between matches at the current Embassy World Darts Championship being staged at the Lakeside Country Club in Surrey where the audience cheered loudly as Ralf appeared in his tight-fitting lizard suit.

He said: "I didn't realise how mental a darts crowd is."

Co-writer Simon Sprackling said: "We will be filming stuff with a lot of razzamatazz, dancing girls, people on stilts, explosions."

Ralf, who has starred in TV shows as Two Pints of Larger and a Packet of Crisps and Paradise Heights received a nomination for the Most Promising Performer at last year's Olivier Awards.

He went to medical school in Manchester after his A-levels but decided to give acting a shot after landing the role as Antony in the Royle Family.