SEPARATED at birth from his nefarious twin brother Otto (Matt Lucas), who has been raised by Alsatians in Kettering, Harry (Harry Hill) has enjoyed a haphazard life in the company of his petrol-guzzling Nan (Julie Walters) and beloved pet hamster Abu (voiced by Johnny Vegas).

When Harry is wrongly led to believe that the plucky rodent has just one week to live and mistranslates the creature's dying wish, the eponymous hero takes to the road with Nan bound for the bright lights of Blackpool.

En route, the deranged clan encounters doggy superstars The Dachsund Five, an eccentric cleaning lady (Jim Broadbent) and an ocean kingdom populated by shell people.

Meanwhile a deranged vet (Simon Bird), hired by vengeful Otto, tracks their every move.

Opening with a chase on scooters, The Harry Hill Movie attempts to harness the playful and anarchic spirit of the award-winning presenter of TV Burp and You've Been Framed.

Alas, something has been lost in translation in the script co-written by Hill, Jon Foster and James Lamont.

Random film references compete for attention with crazy flights of fantasy and Hill's unusual non-sequiturs, spiced up with a romantic subplot involving Sheridan Smith.