Hayley Atwell is to star in a new three-part crime drama for ITV1.

Life of Crime is being made by Ecosse Films and follows a policewoman over three decades working for the Metropolitan Police.

It has been written by Declan Croghan and will be directed by Jim Loach.

Executive producer Douglas Rae said: “Hayley is one of the most outstanding actress of her generation. We previously worked with Hayley on our film Brideshead Revisited and I know she will embrace the extraordinary challenge of playing a woman over 30 years of her career.”.

ITV director of drama Laura Mackie described the drama as an “original and powerful thriller with a brilliant central character’.

“Declan’s scripts vividly capture the changing face of policing over three decades and I’m so pleased that we have an actress of Hayley’s calibre in the lead role,” she added.