David Walliams, the comedian, actor and best-selling author, is partnering with the UK's Alton Towers Resort to bring characters from his children's books to life at the park in a new attraction: The World of David Walliams.

The resort said that construction started on a site around the existing Cloud Cuckoo Land area of the resort earlier this year, and added that nearly 100 specialists from its own creative team and external experts in the latest theme park technology are working to bring the attraction to fruition for a Q2 2020 opening.

Walliams' publisher, HarperCollins Children's Books, is also helping out with the plans, which will create a "ground-breaking, unique headline attraction", as well as bringing a number of other attractions and characters to life across the theme park and within the resort's hotels.

Walliams, who has sold more than 33 million copies of his books worldwide, said he was thrilled that some of his characters would be getting their own attractions at Alton Towers, adding: "I can't wait to experience them for myself, and from all the work that has gone in, I think people are going to love it. All will be revealed next year."

"David's books have really captured the imagination of Britain's children and their families, so it's a huge honour to be working with David on this fabulous collaboration for 2020, the year in which we celebrate our 40th birthday as the nation's favourite theme park," said Alton Towers' marketing director James Walker.