Dougray Scott is to star as Manchester United manager Sir Matt Busby in new BBC film United.

The Mission: Impossible II star will appear alongside David Tennant in the new drama about how the 'Busby Babes' became the youngest side to win the football league, before the squad was ripped apart when eight perished in the Munich air crash in 1958.

David will play coach Jimmy Murphy. Murphy was not involved in the fatal crash but helped to piece together the team as Busby recovered from his injuries.

The film draws on first-hand interviews with the survivors and their families to tell the story of the disaster which virtually wiped out the team, and the battle to overcome the devastation.

The team was returning from a European Cup match against Red Star Belgrade and had stopped to refuel in Munich. But the Ambassador prop-plane, operated by BEA, skidded off the runway on the third attempt to get airborne for the onward flight.

Half of the 44 passengers - including players, United staff, journalists, supporters and crew - were killed.

Jack O'Connell, who has appeared in Skins, will play Bobby Charlton and Sam Claflin from Any Human Heart will play Duncan Edwards, who died 15 days after the crash.

Executive producer Simon Heath said: "Chris Chibnall has written an authentic and moving version of this heartbreaking story, which with the help of a great cast, we hope will be a fitting tribute to those who survived and those who lost their lives at Munich."