THE rovers have returned to Weatherfield with a huge cash boost for charity.

"It's a dream come true," said Coronation Street actress Jennie McAlpine after her win on a celebrity special of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

Bury-born Jennie, who plays Fiz, and Samia Smith, who plays Maria, scooped £50,000 on the ITV1 show.

"It was amazing to win that much - the best and worst time of my life in equal measure, the most frightening and exciting," added Jennie.

Their chosen charities have now received cheques for £25,000 each - after the pair stumbled on the very first £500 question and almost went out.

They had to ask the audience to provide the correct answer `tennis' to: In which of these sports do players knock up before the start of play?

"We both said sport was our nemesis and then we get it first question," said Jennie. "It's really weird when you're sat there in the studio."

She played to raise vital cash for the Manchester-based Mood Swings Network, a mental health charity which supports those with severe mood disorders and their carers.

Skint

"We are quite a skint charity," she told host Chris Tarrant. Jennie's dad Tom is chairman of the charity and was the Corrie pair's `phone a friend', helping them with the correct answer to the £10,000 question.

"I rang him straight away after the recording to tell him we had won £50,000. He couldn't believe it," she recalled.

"It means so much because all our money for Mood Swings comes from our own fundraising efforts," she said. "That's why I was so desperate to go on Millionaire.

"It's such a unique charity and we will spend every last penny on things that really matter."

Tom said: "The girls did good - I'm proud of them and the money is absolutely unbelievable.

"It was nerve-wracking on the end of that phone.

"We'll never raise enough to do all the things we want to do, but £25,000 will mean that people in sometimes desperate need will get the help and support they require."

Eccles-born Samia took part for Cancer Research UK.

"Anything that can help towards finding a cure for cancer can only be good," she said.

The pals, who set a target of winning £10,000, almost made it to £75,000, guessing incorrectly on their eighth question.

It asked: "Wordsworth's line, `Earth has not anything to show more fair' was inspired by a view from which bridge?"

With their £50,000 cheque guaranteed, Jennie said Tower Bridge, not knowing that the poem is called Upon Westminster Bridge.

"After we filmed the show I was down in London and drove over Westminster Bridge twice," revealed Jennie. "I rang my dad and said, `You'll never guess where I am, looking at the view.' I'll never forget it now."

Sadly, luck ran out for Corrie duo Sally Whittaker (Sally Webster) and Michael Starke (Jerry Morton). They had reached £10,000, but dropped £9,000 of it after a wrong answer to the £20,000 question.

But their charities received widespread publicity on a show watched by millions. Sally played for international anti-poverty agency Action Aid and Michael played for Zoe's Place Baby Hospice in Liverpool.

"It's not just about winning money," explained Jennie. "It's also about giving your charity the publicity and raising its profile."

Mood Swings Network has launched a new helpline 0845 123 6050. Click here for their website.