TOM the cat has been having the time of his nine lives since moving into an accountancy firm and is now set to brush shoulders with the stars too.

The friendly feline has taken charge of Mayes Business Partnership, in Willow Street, Accrington, since he sneaked through a broken basement window while the offices were being extended.

And tomorrow Coronation Street star Vicky Entwistle, who is a client of the company, will open the offices and officially make him a member of the team.

Norman Snodgrass, a director of the company, said: "Tom has adopted us and he is definitely the boss. I knew nothing about it until I saw one of our girls going down the cellar steps with some chicken pieces. Now the whole office complex is his territory and he just goes where he wants to.

"He has a terrific personality and is friends with everyone.

"We couldn't be without him."

The new offices are a major investment for the company, which provides a wide range of business support services including profit improvement and business growth strategies, as well as accountancy and tax work for small and medium- sized business.

The premises, which have now doubled in size, will be opened by Vicky, who plays Janice Battersby in Coronation Street, at 10.30am.