CORONATION Street programme chiefs are to introduce up to six new characters in their drive to put the soap back at the top of the ratings.

A new family is to move in to the Street and factory boss Mike Baldwin is to get a lady-killing right-hand man every bit as ruthless as himself - but younger.

Plans for the new arrivals were hammered out at the two-day secret meeting last week at which it was decided that Julie Goodyear was to return to the programme as part of the bid to halt the ratings slide against BBC rival EastEnders.