EAST Lancashire's soap stars dazzled at the annual TVQuick and TVChoice Awards - and celebrated scooping the top award for their show.

Anthony Cotton, of Edenfield, Rossendale, missed out on the best soap actor award for his role as Coronation Street's camp knicker stitcher Sean Tully. But the former ex-pupil at Wood Hey High School, in Ramsbottom, was still able to share in the glory as the show stole the best soap award from last year's winners EastEnders.

The popular ITV soap features six other East Lancashire stars: Wilpshire's Wendi Peters (Cilla Brown), Burnley's Malcolm Hebden (Norris Cole), Church's Julie Hesmondhalgh (Hayley Cropper), Bacup's Sam Aston (Chesney Brown), Oswaldtwistle's Vicky Entwistle (Janice Battersby) and Burnley's Julia Haworth (Claire Peacock).

The cast also celebrated taking home awards for best soap newcomer (Kym Ryder, for her role as bar maid Michelle Connor); best soap actress (Sue Cleaver, for her role as taxi worker Eileen Grimshaw) and best storyline (for the Tracy Barlow's revenge on builder Charlie Stubbs.) The 11th annual award show, in aid of Breakthrough Breast Cancer, was hosted by comedian Harry Hill at the Dorchester Hotel in London. Awards were voted for by readers of the TVQuick and TVChoice magazines.