A FORMER Kendal College student has landed a dream role in one of the country's best-loved soaps.

Molly McGlynn, 23, is starring in ITV's Coronation Street as Leah Buckley, daughter of Gina Seddon and cousin of Rosie Webster.

Although the former Grange-over-Sands resident has already got a number of film and stage roles under her belt, she said that Corrie was her first 'biggie'.

"I've watched Corrie since I was about four so for me it was something I had always wanted to do," she said. "The audition alone was: 'Oh my God, this is incredible!'

"I was incredibly nervous because it's the enormity of it."

Having secured the part, she began filming in February. Her first appearance was in the middle of April and she will be on screens until late May.

"I had great storylines as well," the former Cartmel Priory student said. "I am not playing a particularly nice character and the story itself was absolutely brilliant.

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"The weird thing is everyone who knows me would describe me as absolutely the opposite [to Leah] - I am just a nice normal person. But I think it gives you the chance to do something a little bit different."

Molly said that the role was a 'dream come true' and she had to 'keep her cool' around the well-known faces of the cobbled street.

"I was incredibly starstruck," she recalled. "David Platt came and sat next to me and I ended up having breakfast with him and I played ping pong with Adam Barlow."

Molly, who now lives in Wigan, finished at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts last year and said that she has been 'lucky' to have found herself in work ever since.

She still returns to visit family in Grange when she can and is in regular contact with her old Kendal College drama teacher.

"I cannot speak highly enough of them," she said of the college. "Hilary Pezet was fundamental in to me going to drama school. She was incredible."

Hilary, who is the head of acting at Kendal College, said that she knew from the start that Molly was going to go far.

"She just absolutely loved performing," Hilary said. "She really understands acting on a different level - we had a lot of fun.

"She understands it's a craft you have to learn. She came with a lot of talent but she is keen to gain even more. She was happy to try out new ideas and new approaches."