CORONATION Street's 'neighbours from hell' showed they have a much softer side when they visited East Lancashire.

Bruce Jones and Vicki Entwistle, better known as the soap's rowdy Les and Janice Battersby, were at the Only Foals and Horses Sanctuary, Oswaldtwistle, for a Christmas fair.

The TV couple mingled with crowds and signed autographs during the fund raising day.

And Vicky, whose loudmouth character has viewers reaching for the earplugs, revealed to the Lancashire Evening Telegraph that the Battersbys are about to turn soft!

The actress, originally from Oswaldtwistle, said: "I can't say exactly what's going to go on but there are plans to make our characters slightly more gentle and quieter.

"After all, I can't go on shouting forever."

Vicki said she was asked to attend the event by her screen husband.

She added: " I think Janice likes animals - well, she is married to an ape!

But I don't think the girls would be interested in getting a horse for Christmas. They're more into shoes and shirts."

Bruce, whose hard man character Les is regularly seen ranting and raving at neighbours, said: "I've adopted a horse here called Sefton.

"My wife loves them and this is my second visit to the sanctuary.

"They do some cracking work and I'm sure even Les would be proud."

The pair follow other Street stars to be involved with the sanctuary including Denise Welch who plays family wrecker Natalie Horrocks and Sherrie Hewson who was Maureen Holdsworth.

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