TV STAR Penelope Keith breezed into East Lancashire to film her latest screen role and revealed: "This is my second home!"

The star used to own a cottage in Wycoller with husband Rodney Timpson, originally from Waterfoot, and became a honorary East Lancastrian.

Yesterday Penelope was in Blackburn filming a new comedy drama with co-star June Brown -- best known as EastEnders' Dot Cotton.

Blackburn Railway Station was the location for the filming, which turned a few heads of the commuters patiently waiting to board the train.

The famous faces were joined by a crew wielding assorted filming equipment -- plus five George Formby lookalikes, two Elvis impersonators, two men in kilts and Marilyn Monroe!

Penelope and June were in town to film Margery & Gladys, described by the makers as "a sort of Thelma and Louise for the older generation".

Penelope, star of classic sitcoms Good Life and To The Manor Born, is Margery, who accidentally kills a young intruder at her home in the two-hour one-off comedy drama.

Panicking, she goes on the run with her cleaning lady Gladys -- June Brown -- and ends up in Blackpool via Blackburn.

When Penelope found out the locations she couldn't wait to come back to Lancashire.

The Surrey-based star said: "We only sold the house in Wycoller recently, although I have not been to Lancashire for about 18 months.

"I have always said East Lancashire is a greatly-guarded secret.

"The scenery here is stunning and I have always found it beautiful.

"I was so excited when I found out we were coming here."

The actress arrived in East Lancashire ahead of the crew and spent a day reminiscing and visiting her old haunts with husband Rodney, a former policeman whose beat was in Burnley.

Co-star June Brown is more used to the constraints of Albert Square than the aching beauty of Lancashire countryside -- much to her regret.

June, who has been to Gisburn on several occasions for charity functions, said: "We never have that much time when we are filming to explore the areas.

"What I like about this part of the country is that you can drive a few miles and you are surrounded by countryside. It's beautiful."

Margery & Gladys will also feature Chorley actor Ken Morley as a hapless journalist, Roger Lloyd Pack -- Trigger from Only Fools and Horses -- and Martin Freeman from the BBC smash comedy, The Office.

Filming is set to take place in Blackpool for the next five weeks and the programme will be shown on ITV some time next year.