CORRIE SWEEPS SEVEN AT SOAP AWARDS

Coronation Street swept the board at the British Soap Awards last night with seven trophies to take back to Weatherfield.

Kate Ford picked up best actress for her portrayal of Corrie's evil Tracy Barlow while Anthony Cotton, who plays camp knicker-factory worker Sean Tully, picked up the award for best actor.

The ITV1 show, which has been running since December 1960, also picked up best soap and best storyline for the murder of street bad boy Charlie Stubbs, AKA Bill Ward, who also received the best exit gong.

Ex-Hear Say singer turned actress Kim Ryder won the title of best newcomer for her role as the Rovers Return's newest feisty barmaid while sexiest male went to actor Rob James-Collier who plays Liam Connor.

Yet things where not so rosy south of Manchester as London-based soap EastEnders received just one prize – best dramatic performance went to Lacey Turner for her role as Stacey Slater.

However salt in the wound for EastEnders came in the form of three awards for much ridiculed soap Hollyoaks and two for daytime BBC soap Doctors.

The cast of the Chester-based soap Hollyoaks picked up sexiest female, villain of the year and best comedy performance.

Yorkshire's Emmerdale also received more than the BBC's prime-time soap offering with youngster Eden Taylor-Draper, who plays Belle Dingle, receiving best dramatic performance from a young actor or actress and spectacular scene of the year honouring the directors.