THE gruff demeanour and the tatty look said it all.

It might be July, but there was definitely A Touch Of Frost in the air in York, as actor David Jason nipped in for an exterior film shoot.

Jason was on the railway tracks near York station to film early scenes of a new feature-length drama, in which his character, hard-bitten Detective Inspector Jack Frost, investigates a grisly death on the line.

He was seen on the Cinder Lane footbridge, staring off into the distance with his usual detached air, piecing clues together while his deputies flounder around on false trails.

Curiously, the former Only Fools And Horses star has already shot the closing scenes of the story. That happened when he arrived at the station last month.

A Touch of Frost, which is produced by Yorkshire TV, is one of Britain's most popular police drama series, largely due to Jason's inimitable style.

PICTURE: RESTING: David Jason takes a break during filming on Cinder Lane footbridge, York

Picture: Nigel Holland