Corrie boss reveals tram crash stunt

Coronation Street will stage its biggest stunt ever to celebrate the show's 50th birthday.

Much-loved characters will be killed off as the street's viaduct collapses, sending a tram crashing on to the cobbles.

The ITV soap's official website confirmed that a special week of episodes will be shown leading up to the anniversary on December 9.

Producers are desperate to keep details under wraps and have issued alternative scripts.

"Not even our cast and crew know which residents will die and the drama will continue into 2011 as the people of Weatherfield come to terms with the tragedy and the dramatic twists and turns that follow," the site confirmed.

Corrie producer Phil Collinson said: "As we celebrate the show reaching such an incredible milestone it feels fitting that we will be screening an event of this magnitude which will affect the lives of all the residents of Coronation Street.

"We’ll be using all the wonders of modern television production to bring you a disaster that will rock the lives of everyone in Weatherfield. At the heart of the drama, though, will be ordinary people on an ordinary street battling adversity - the template for the programme created by Tony Warren 50 years ago."

In a webchat, Collinson refused to confirm the fate of any of the Street's residents.

"I'm not going to answer that as everybody's future in uncertain!" he replied to a viewer question.

"We're in the very early stages of planning, but we'll be using all the wonders of modern technology to bring you something spectacular."

It was previously reported that the exits of Bill Tarmey and Vicky Binns could tie in with the 50th birthday episodes.