BURY actress Casey Lee Jolleys happily gave up centre stage to her own VIP at the weekend.

The 31-year-old, who returns to Coronation Street next week as the conwoman who posed as Fred Elliott's Thai bride, hosted the first birthday party of her daughter, Halle, at her Manchester city centre home.

"It started out as a small gathering but ended up with a house full!" said Casey.

"But we all had a wonderful time, especially Halle."

Another special guest at the party was Casey's mum, Maureen Jolleys, who still lives in Sharples, and is a proud grandma.

Casey made such an impact in the famous Northern soap last year as Mancunian market stallholder Stacey - who duped gullible romeo Fred Elliott into believing she was an internet bride - that Street producers invited her back for another series of episodes.

And Fred falls under her spell again when he sees her in the hospital Accident and Emergency department, having been beaten up by another man she was trying to con.

Appearances on Coronation Street originally led to several other offers of work and Casey recently finished a successful run in panto.

There are already several castings on the cards for after her latest TV run, which is currently being filmed.

And the future is now looking rosy for Casey and her businessman husband Michael after he was rushed to hospital over Christmas following a health scare. At the weekend, however, the spotlight was firmly on Halle - a place she is set to occupy again later this week when she has her "official" birthday party with plenty of young guests. "Yes, she is like the Queen with two birthdays," laughed Casey.

"But we don't mind!"