A CORONATION Street actress has revealed it was a Blackburn dance school that first set her on the road to fame.

Wendi Peters, who was brought up in Wilpshire, currently plays bad girl Cilla Brown and is now a favourite in the Street after her on screen affair with loudmouth lout, Les Battersby.

And Wendi, who returned to her roots to sign a council-backed charter aimed at bringing the town's communities closer together, also revealed she will return to Weatherfield next month.

The former Clitheroe Grammar pupil, who still has family in Wilpshire, said when she wasn't at home or at school she spent most of her spare time at Carlotta's School of Dance in Exchange Street.

According to Wendi those lessons in ballet and tap gave her a thirst for life in the limelight.

She said: "I used to love going there. That's what set me off. I live in Hertfordshire now, but still visit Blackburn regularly. Getting the part of Cilla meant that I was in the area much more, so I get to see my family a lot now.

"I have a lot of fantastic memories of the town, which looks really nice these days. The town centre was even busy on a Monday for a change."

From dance lessons in Blackburn Wendi moved to theatre before landing her dream role in Britain's favourite soap.

Cilla and Les's former wife Janice, played by Oswaldtwistle actress Vicky Entwistle, come to blows over their man. But her explosive temper and scheming ways have made Wendi a hit with Street fans, despite Cilla dumping son Chesney with lovesick Les.