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Church is chosen for soap funeral

Lucy McGuire
15/ 5/2008

IT’S been used for many heart-warming soap nuptials but this time it was a more sombre affair at St Mary’s Church.

The Prestwich building featured on Coronation Street once again on Friday for the burial of Maria and Liam’s baby son Paul.

Cast and crew members gathered in the grounds of the church for two days last month to film the funeral scenes, which were aired on Friday, May 9.

Soap bosses have been using the Church Lane site for over 40 years, with it becoming the setting for many of the street’s ‘hatches, matches and dispatches’.

One of the most memorable occasions was Mike Baldwin’s funeral and more recently, the wedding of Sarah Louise Platt and Jason Grimshaw, played by real-life couple Tina O’Brien and Ryan Thomas.

Friday’s episode featured Maria, played by Samia Smith, and Liam Connor, played by Rob James-Collier, burying their son who was stillborn.

They were joined by other characters including Maria’s on-screen boss Audrey, gay couple Marcus and Sean and Liam’s sister-in-law Carla, who has been causing a stir in the bereaved couple’s relationship.

Carla, played by actress Alison King, wanted Liam to call off his wedding to Maria earlier this year.

Church warden Derek Hughes, who has just retired from the church, said he has built up quite a relationship with the cast and crew over the years.

He said: "The film crew normally come on a technical recce with the director and they assess what part of the church they are going to use and whether they need extras.

"This time, part of it was filmed in the church and part of it in the grounds where we have infant funerals.

"It was only a small gathering so they didn’t need any extras. But if they need a larger site with bigger graves, they will do some of the shoot somewhere else.

"They spend a lot of time getting a feel for the place and then the cast all come the next day with the ground crew and lighting."

Derek, who says he saw the very first episode of Corrie, added: "The Corrie cast have a great respect for the church, are very caring and appreciative and it’s mutually beneficial to both parties.

"Corrie have a Canadian Club who visit every year to see the film crew and talk to us about the filming they do here - it’s very interesting for them."