First Corrie anniversary death confirmed

Coronation Street favourite Ashley Peacock has become the first character to be officially confirmed as a casualty of the soap's 50th anniversary week.

In tragic scenes which aired in tonight's episode, viewers saw Ashley crushed by falling debris as the wrecked Joinery bar dramatically crumbled.

A news update on Corrie's official website has now confirmed that Ashley "died a hero in the tram disaster".

The devoted dad and husband - played by Steven Arnold - had been trapped in the wreckage of The Joinery alongside Nick Tilsley (Ben Price) and Peter Barlow (Chris Gascoyne) in the aftermath of the ferocious explosion which rocked the venue on Monday evening.

As Peter appeared to be in a critical condition, Ashley and Nick both joined forces to free him tonight, successfully ploughing through the rubble and passing him to emergency services who had arrived on the cobbles.

However, shortly after the heroic rescue, a cruel twist of fate saw Ashley lose his life as the remains of the building collapsed around him.

Ashley's death came shortly after he left an emotional message on his wife Claire's answerphone, telling her how much he loved her and his two sons.

Steven Arnold's departure from Corrie was announced back in April, but producers had attempted to keep the circumstances surrounding Ashley's exit under wraps until transmission.

Earlier this week, bunny boiler Charlotte Hoyle also appeared to become a casualty of the show's anniversary storylines when John Stape furiously attacked her with a hammer. However, bosses have yet to confirm whether she is dead or alive.

Coronation Street marks its 50th birthday tomorrow with an hour-long live episode, airing from 8pm.