An actor from York is getting a taste of fame as he appears in Coronation Street this week.

Andrew Dunn stars as the plumber who tries to whisk Janice Battersby (Vicky Entwistle) off to a new life in France.

Andrew, 49, who lives near York Hospital with his family, appears as the new love interest of Janice in four episodes of the soap opera, all to be shown this week.

Andrew said: "I'm already getting accosted by people in the street - my first episode was only on Monday and a woman shouted to me today Be good to that Janice, won't you?' "I enjoy the comments as long as they're not nasty."

The soap veteran plays the character of Roger, who Janice soon falls for after he fixes her boiler free of charge - in spite of the mother-of-one leaving an abusive drunken message on his mobile phone. Roger takes a new job in France and asks Janice to go with him - with viewers in suspense as to what she will decide to do.

Andrew has already been told that he may be asked to star again in the long-running ITV favourite, with scriptwriters set to decide his character's fate early in the year.

He is hoping the momentum of his performance will land him a reappearance in the soap.

He said: "I'm open to doing a long-term project on Coronation Street and playing the character of Roger again. It's enjoyable - Vicky (Janice) was very nice and welcoming and we got on well."

Andrew returns to the Street after a three year absence - he appeared in 2003 in a special episode shot in Blackpool, where he played lecherous bar manager Laurie Dyson. Andrew said: "The regular cast were very excited to be in Blackpool. It was a bit daunting at times and quite odd to be greeted by two strong ladies of the Street (Liz McDonald and Bet Lynch) first thing in the morning. I was dressed in a lot of bling and bad shirts and tried to get off with Liz McDonald!"

Andrew has also featured in other TV dramas, taking on the role of a drunken wife beater in 12 episodes of Holby City and assuming three different characters in Heartbeat.

He said: "My ambition is to keep acting - I've known so many people who have dropped out. I'd like to get to that level where I'm seen as a lead actor - where people will think Let's get Andrew Dunn in'".

Other North Yorkshire soap actors include Eden Taylor-Draper (known to Emmerdale fans as Belle Dingle) of Selby and Ian Kelsey, who appeared as Dave Glover in the Yorkshire soap.