Street life in balance for Audrey

Coronation Street's Audrey Roberts clasps her chest in agony as the mounting stresses in her life cause her to suffer a heart attack.

The Street stalwart, played by Sue Nicholls, is taken ill in her salon, leaving her family fearing her life is in the balance.

Hairdresser Audrey - a regular in the soap for more than 30 years - has seen more and more difficulties pile up in her life until they take a disastrous toll on her health.

Viewers of the ITV1 programme will see her succumb to the strain on Monday when she collapses in pain, while her family and boyfriend Lewis Archer look on.

Just moments earlier she confronted grandson David with a court injunction and demanded her salon back which led to a furious row.

In recent weeks she has had to contend with her family's disapproval of her relationship with Lewis (Nigel Havers), and just last week she was arrested for criminal damage after wrecking the new salon sign.

Lewis clutches stricken Audrey in his arms while her daughter Gail (Helen Worth) looks on and David calls an ambulance, concerned for the survival of his gran.

Corrie producers and Sue, 68, worked closely with the British Heart Foundation on the storyline. The actress spoke to a number of other women who had experienced heart attacks and said she hoped the portrayal helped people to think about their lifestyles.

Sue said: "Many women will identify with Audrey's lifestyle: she works long hours, has little time to exercise and enjoys a tipple down the Rovers. After her heart attack Audrey starts to think more about her heart health and lifestyle.

"I hope the women watching Coronation Street will think about theirs too. The truth is it could happen to any one of us."