Cherylee will become the first ever actor in the soap’s 50 year history to play a permanent character with a disability. ‘Izzy’ will be introduced to viewers on 16 April as a future love interest of Kirk Sutherland.

Cherylee said, “I’m delighted to be supporting the BT Paralympic World Cup and to meet such an inspiring athlete as Laurie and I wish her the best of luck in the event.”

Cherylee, who has a degenerative tissue disorder, continued, “I’m particularly excited about the elite sporting event being in Manchester as I embark on my new role in Coronation Street in its 50th year. These two events really demonstrate the support for disabilities that the city has.”

Manchester-based player Laurie has also appeared on the small screen, in the role of ‘Gabby’ in the BBC programme Desperados in 2007, which also starred Ade Adepitan and she will be competing in her second BT Paralympic World Cup in Manchester in May.

Laurie, who has paralysis in her legs after catching meningitis at 18 months old said, “It has been fantastic to visit the famous Coronation Street set today and to meet Cherylee and have her support our event is amazing. I’m delighted that the soap has enabled a permanent role for an actress with a disability and as a huge fan of the programme I look forward to seeing her on screen.”

The BT Paralympic World Cup is the world’s largest annual multi-sport elite disability event and major international stars and a strong British contingent are expected.

The competition will be staged in Manchester from 25-31 May, with over 400 competitors from over 31 countries scheduled to compete.

Athletes will compete in four sports at world class competition venues in Manchester: Wheelchair Basketball, Football 7-a-side and Athletics at the Manchester Regional Arena and Swimming at the Manchester Aquatics Centre.

The women’s GB basketball team will take on Canada, Australia and The Netherlands.

A half price early bird ticket offer for the BT Paralympic World Cup is available by signing up to the newsletter via the event website: www.btparalympicworldcup.com. Tickets go on sale on 29 March 2010.

BT is the title sponsor of the Paralympic World Cup; the sponsorship runs up to and includes the 2012 BT Paralympic World Cup.

The BT Paralympic World Cup is sanctioned by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the Cerebral Palsy International Sports & Recreation Association (CPISRA) and the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) and supported by BT, ParalympicsGB, the FA, Manchester City Council and the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA).

The BBC, the official televised partner to the event, will broadcast live from the Manchester Aquatics Centre on Monday 31 May 2010 on BBC Television.

The event schedule will see Athletics on 25 May, Football 7-a-side on 26-29 May and Wheelchair Basketball on 27-30 May, all at the Manchester Regional Arena and Swimming at the Manchester Aquatics Centre on 31 May.

Follow the BT Paralympic World Cup on Twitter: www.twitter.com/BTPWC