fashion designer Gary Aspden helped TV’s Coronation Street celebrate its 50th anniversary with a star-studded street party.

Gary, originally from Kelvin Street, Darwen, where his family still live, made his name working for 10 years as the global head of adidas’s Entertainment Promotions, using his skills to convince stars like David Beckham, Missy Elliot and Madonna to wear the firm’s clothes.

Now a private consultant to adidas, Gary and his business partner and fellow University of Central Lancashire fashion gr-aduate Mike Chetcuti, organised a secret party on Saturday mimicking the sports giant’s latest TV adverts.

The 40-year-old said: “We had a red carpet running up the back alley you see at the beginning of Corrie, and people came into the set for a big jubilee-style party, with bunting flags and food.

“We had a few different performances – Badly Drawn Boy played, Bernard Sumner’s new band Bad Lieutenant did a New Order and Joy Division set, and we had Darth Vader and Stormtroopers from Star Wars on the street!

“Then there were video messages from Snoop Dogg and Ian Brown and later we had Craig Charles DJing. It was a great night.”

Gary, known for his encyclopaedic knowledge of adidas trainers, now lives in London with his wife Samantha, whom he married in 2006 at a ceremony attended by Noel and Liam Gallagher, Ian Brown, Shaun Ryder, Jade Jagger, Terry Hall and Ronnie O'Sullivan.

But he still travels back north for Blackburn Rovers home games and is this week supporting UCLAN’s graduate fashion show in London.

The former Holy Trinity Primary School and Blackburn Art College pupil, said: “The four-year course I did in Preston was so important to my career.

"I had to do a year’s work experience in the industry and that played a big part in getting me great contacts.”