PRESTON'S answer to Martine McCutcheon is to star in a new soap opera which will be seen most of the county's high schools.

Stunning Kate Holderness, 17, from Cromwell Road, Ribbleton, has recently finished filming Britannic Street -- the soap aiming to teach 14-16-year-olds about personal finance.

Now in its second year, the Britannic Street project has been sent to more than 67 per cent of the UK's secondary schools following requests from headteachers.

Kate, a former pupil of Archbishop Temple High School, in St Vincent's Road, Fulwood, landed the part after getting an audition through her agent. Determined to be successful, Kate is being taught drama by David Johnson, known for training actors like Tina O'Brian who plays Sarah Louise in Coronation Street.

She said: "My character, Mary, has lived in Britannic Street for six years. Her family were pretty well off and her step-father earned a lot of money.

"She had a great lifestyle with her own Golf GTI and designer clothes until one day she comes home to find that her step father is bankrupt and, worse still, he has no pension in place to support himself -- Mary is devastated.

"Angry with her parents and the fact that she can't afford designer clothes and a car, she gets into debt with a loan shark -- it seems her problems have just begun."

Kate added: "I think I'm a lot like Mary because I am always begging my parents to lend me money when I've blown mine on clothes and make up.

"I had fun on set and really enjoyed doing something different, Britannic Street is good because it takes a boring subject and injects some reality into it."

Claire Ingram, project manager of the Britannic Street programme, said: "This video is a great follow up to episode one, the original characters have really developed and the new set of financial challenges is really exciting.

"The soap also covers topics like retirement and living away from home so we hope both teenagers and teachers will find it fun and educational."