CORONATION Street star Julie Hesmondhalgh today spoke about her role in the soap as she prepared to become the centre of an explosive storyline to mark its 40th anniversary.

The East Lancashire actress will take centre stage for one of the show's most unexpected and heart-rending storylines.

Julie, who plays Hayley Cropper, will be the main star of the one-hour special which is to be screened live.

Granada TV are keeping quiet about details, except to say that Julie's character is involved in one of the "strong storylines" of the celebration episode.

But it's almost impossible to keep Street plots a secret and viewers are expected to see Hayley leave Roy following their plans to adopt a child.

The introduction of Julie into the Corrie cast involved one of the most adventurous moves in the history of the programme but sex-change Hayley has become a firm favourite.

The Church actress has been with the show for two and half years and has "enjoyed every minute of it".

She said: "Working on Coronation Street has been wonderful.

"I am the latest in a long list of East Lancashire people to walk the cobbles here and I hope I won't be the last.

"I can remember when I first got the part and I realised the anniversary was going to come up. I just hoped I would still be around to join in the fun and I never really dreamed that I would be - but here I am!"

The anniversary episode is being shot live in deference to the way it used to be filmed when it first hit our screens.

Julie added: "We are all looking forward to doing the live special but I'll let you into a secret - we're all scared to death of making a mistake."

The cobbles of Coronation Street have provided a showcase for a wealth of East Lancashire acting talents.

Over the years, many local people have been spotted in the Rovers Return, in Mike Baldwin's factory or in the corner shop. In fact, Corrie original Bill Roache lived for a number of years in Haslingden while his Ken Barlow character developed from university student to become the street's longest survivor.

Blackburn actress Madge Hindle was another to hold down a major role. The former Blackburn Mayoress played Alf Roberts' first wife for four years in the 1970s.

As Renee she worked in the corner shop until her screen death in a car crash in 1980.

Burnley actress Kathy Jamieson was another crash victim. Kathy, wife of John McArdle - who played Billy Corkhill in Brookside - played Alec Gilroy's long-lost daughter Sandra Arden.

Shortly after Alec tracked her down she and her husband died in a car smash leaving Alec responsible for their daughter Vicky.

Darwen singer Joel David appeared as the taxi driver who tried to save Brian Tilsley from being stabbed and he was also Eric "The Warbler" Warburton who sang a poor but memorable version of "My Way" in the Rovers.

In more recently a couple of youngsters joined the cast for short stays.

Emily Aston, a schoolgirl from Bacup, was just 16 when she landed the part as Becky Palmer, the daughter of Des Barnes' girlfriend Claire. Emily had already notched up a string of roles in hit TV series before her 10-month spell on Corrie. She had to have a personal tutor to keep up with her studies while she was filming but eventually left and returned to Haslingden High School.

Hunky Tom Wisdom set hearts racing when he made his debut as hairdressing Romeo Tom Ferguson. Blackburn-born Tom, whose screen father Dougie is still with the soap, was taken on as an assistant in the street salon.

And present-day Coronation Street still wouldn't be the same without an East Lancashire input as, apart from Julie, two other main characters hail from these parts.

Vicky Entwistle, alias Janice Battersby, lives in the Ribble Valley and Malcolm Hebden, who plays Norris Cole was born in Burnley where he first trod the boards with the Highcliffe Players.

Norris's first major stint in the "Street" saw him as a sparring partner for fellow sales rep Derek Wilton.

He left in 1997 but is now back on the cast as Rita's right hand man in the Kabin and post office.

The live special is due to be broadcast on Friday December 8.