Vera Leaves Street For Good

A devastated Jack Duckworth stares in disbelief as the body of his beloved Vera is taken away by funeral directors in a tear-jerking finale on Coronation Street tonight.

The poignant scenes will mark the final chapter for Jack and Vera - one of Britain's best loved TV duos.

Vera, played by Liz Dawn and Jack, played by Bill Tarmey, had been planning the final details of their retirement to Blackpool in the top soap - until tragedy strikes.

Millions of TV fans are expected to tune in for the final appearance of Vera - a stalwart of the Street for the past 33 years, appearing in more than 3,000 episodes.

Liz Dawn has played the brassy, loud-mouthed battle-axe since joining the soap in 1974 - but the actress, a lifelong smoker, disclosed last summer she is crippled with the lung disease emphysema.

Vera's final exit from Weatherfield will be shown in a Coronation Street double-bill at 7.30pm and 8.30pm tonight.