SOME of Granada's classic television programmes are being sold via iTunes.

ITV has struck a deal with iTunes creator, Apple, which allows top dramas to be put on sale on a third-party website for the first time.

A total of 260 hours of achive shows are being made available, including Granada's acclaimed Brideshead Revisited and Cold Feet.

Other programmes include Lewis, Goodnight Mr Tom, Inspector Morse, The Prisoner, The Saint and adaptations of Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey and Emma.

The shows cost from £1.89 per episode and fans will be able to download complete series.

The deal was brokered by Granada Ventures, which has previously made more than 300 films from the ITV DVD catalogue available via movie download services such as filmon.com, lovefilm.com and vizumi.com.

ITV is not making current programmes or series available.

"ITV has thousands of hours of classic content in the archive which we are bringing to a whole new audience via iTunes," said Dawn Airey, managing director of ITV global content.

ITV streams its programming live via ITV.com and offers a catch-up TV service.