Julia Sawalha has said she is "devastated and furious" as she claimed she has been axed from the upcoming Chicken Run sequel because her voice sounds "too old".

The actress, who voiced Ginger in the original Aardman Animations film from 2000, said she has been told she will be replaced by a younger actress for the new film.

Sawalha, 51, shared a letter to fans on Twitter, reading: "Dear Reader, Last week I was informed out of the blue, via email, through my agent that I would not be cast as Ginger in the Chicken Run sequel.

"The reason they gave is that my voice now sounds 'too old' and they want a younger actress to reprise the role.

"Usually in these circumstances, an actress would be given the chance to do a voice test in order to determine the suitability of their pitch and tone, I however was not given this opportunity."

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