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Cutting costs? The same Grantchester extras are spotted in the background in every shot of a tense chase scene

Detective drama set in the Fifties has returned for a second series
Stars James Norton and Robson Green
Latest episode saw pair pursuing female character around Cambridge
Same extras were seen repeatedly in each scene

Published: 18:55 GMT, 11 March 2016 | Updated: 19:15 GMT, 11 March 2016

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They're not short on fans but it appears extras were thin on the ground when ITV filmed the second series of Grantchester, with actors James Norton and Robson Green.

An eagle-eyed viewer spotted the same background artists repeatedly passing the stars as they filmed a chase scene around the streets of Cambridge.

In the scene from this week's episode of the detective drama set in the Fifties, James, as vicar Sidney Chambers, and Robson, as Detective Inspector Geordie Keating, are seen following a woman they believe to be involved in a murder.

Wednesday's episode of Grantchester saw Robson Green, left, and James Norton's characters pursuing a woman through the streets of Cambridge

The female character, left, passes extras including the woman on the right in a green jacket talking to a male extra in a blue jacket and flat cap

As they follow her around the streets of the university city, the same extras can constantly be seen out of continuity with the sequence of events.

The frequent use of the same extras was spotted by fan of the show '@littlesweetred8' who tweeted them with a screen grab and the message: '@GrantchesterUK when maybe you don't have a lot of extras to spare :p'

On one occasion, a woman in a blue dress is seen walking away from the street behind the characters and then immediately walking towards them along a different street in the next frame.

Another pair of extras achieve the same trick with the couple - a woman in a blue dress and a man in trench coat and hat - first seen leaning against a wall behind Robson and then seconds later walking in the opposite direction towards James.

In the next frame, the female extra in the green jacket is seen again, this time walking across the front of the shot with a different male compianion

There she is again! This time the female extra in a green jacket is seen alone walking towards Robson as he continues his pursuit

An extra in a yellow blouse with a man in a grey jumper is seen behind Robson in this scene, left, where he has separated from James to search for the woman. But at the same moment, the same extras are also seen walking behind James, right, in a different part of the city

Similarly, a woman in a green coat and white blouse is featured three times in the same minute, walking in different directions in supposedly different parts of the city.

In the first scene she is seen standing chatting to a man in a flat cap as the character James and Robson are following passes her.

As the actors continue their pursuit, the same extra in a green coat is then seen walking in front of Robson with a different male companion.

As the scene then cuts to Robson running round a square as he chases his prey, the extra in a green dress is now seen again, this time alone, walking towards him.

Here an extra in a long blue coat and blue hat is seen walking off the street behind Robson

In the next moment, the same extra is seen walking down the street towards the woman Robson is pursuing

In another segment, the characters split up to try to find the woman and the same pair of extras are seen walking behind each of them.

Wednesday's episode was the second in the second series of the hit show based on books written by James Runcie.

The episode saw the main characters investigating the death of a Cambridge University lecturer who fell from the college spires.

Some of the scenes were shot on location in Cambridge, while they also go on location in London and in the village of Grantchester which lends the show its name.

A couple of extras, a woman in a blue coat and a man in a trench coat are seen standing behind Robson

The same couple are seen again in the next frame, this time walking down the street towards the character

James, 30, who has been dubbed the 'hot vicar' fro his role in the show said they often use the villagers as extras.

He said of filming in the picturesque Cambridgeshire village with a close-knot community: 'First time around I think the villagers initially were slightly wary but this time, for them to have gone through the experience of one series, watched and enjoyed it and then have us back again, was great.

'It was lovely because they seemed really happy to have us back which makes such a difference. Our relationship with the village itself is so important to the show.

The use of the same extras was spotted by 'littlesweetred8' on Twitter who tweeted a grab with the comment 'when maybe you don't have a lot of extras to spare'

James Norton has been dubbed the 'hot vicar' fro his role in the ITV drama with Robson Green, left, filmed on location in London, Cambridge and Grantchester

'When I stand up in front of the congregation most of them are the real villagers from Grantchester (they were invited to be extras) and they are the same faces from the first series.

'It's so nice for me to see them again and to get to learn more of their names and have relationships with them as individuals - it helps it become more like a true village church in the 50s.

'We were very grateful and so touched that they were happy to have us back and visa versa.'

Series two of the show continues on Wednesday evenings on ITV at 9pm.