SCHEMING Coronation Street character Cilla Brown wreaked havoc in a Prestwich shopping centre.

The soap bad girl, together with other cast and crew, spent most of the day on Sunday at the Longfield Centre, filming an exciting new storyline.

Flame-haired Cilla, who is played by actress Wendi Peters, left our screens for a while after boyfriend Les Battersby discovered her cheating ways and ordered her to pack her bags. The heartless mum left son Chesney with his sister Fizz, before soft touch Les took him in.

It was revealed in the national press that Cilla was to return to the Street to marry Les in a sensational new storyline.

But first she must try to muscle out Les's ex-wife Janice Battersby (Vicki Entwistle), who has grown close to him in Cilla's absence.

The Longfield Centre's Quality Save shop was transformed into "Freshco" supermarket, where actors performed an alleged shoplifting scene.

Some traders in the precinct, who were open throughout the filming, said Janice and a friend visited Freshco, where there was an altercation with a security guard.

A scuffle broke out between the guard and Janice's friend while sly Cilla looked on.

A Coronation Street spokesman said: "The storyline is around Cilla Brown, who will be causing trouble for Janice Battersby. Lately, Janice has grown a bit closer to Les and this has put Cilla's nose out of joint."

Part of the Longfield car park was taken over by the film crew and its catering van for the day's filming.

The Longfield venue is a new haunt for shooting Corrie scenes. Just a few hundred yards away is St Mary's Church, where the cameras regularly roll for weddings and funerals.