CORONATION Street stars Todd and Jason Grimshaw were welcomed by hordes of screaming fans as they opened Burnley's latest coffee house.

A crowd of more than 200 people gathered for the official launch of the International House of Coffee in Curzon Street on Saturday.

Town centre management today proclaimed Burnley as the "coffee cafe capital of the North" thanks to the introduction of a fifth coffee bar in just a year.

IHOC opened in the town centre last week but the two Coronation Street brothers, actors Bruno Langley and Ryan Thomas, were on hand to cut the ribbon to mark the official launch and chat to fans. Marketing manager for Burnley town centre management, Ian Stackhouse marked the opening as "fantastic news for Burnley."

In the past year the town centre has welcomed five different coffee bars, offering shoppers in Burnley a variety of choice.

He said: "We have seen a recent coffee boom in Burnley. In the past we have been trying to get some of the major coffee retailers into the town. We have approached the likes of Costa Coffee and haven't had any success, but that doesn't really matter now because we have five brilliant coffee shops in the town for people to chose from.

"With the high quality shops Burnley has to offer it is soon to be the coffee capital of the North.

"A lot of people think IHOC is a franchised coffee house because of it's appearance but it isn't, it is owned by a chap from Accrington who has decorated it to look like a modern style coffee house."

Owner Anthony McCarthy, 27, said: "I started in the coffee business when I was 20, opening a shop in Nelson, I found that I had taken it as far as I could and wanted to try somewhere new.

"We are hoping that we can please all palates by offering a variety of choices.

"We do everything from plain cheese and tomato sandwiches to the more extravagant baguettes and bagels.

"Since we opened last week we have been busier each day. People are really impressed with the design of the shop it looks like it belongs in the city of Manchester."