Millions of soap fans will see Alf Roberts die during an emotionally charged Coronation Street special on New Year's Day.

But Bryan Mosley, the Shipley actor who has been playing the character since 1961, has revealed he will not be among them.

The Street veteran was speaking to the Telegraph & Argus as he begins a new chapter in his life after filming Alf's exit.

And he said he had been moved by the response from his colleagues following his last appearance on the set.

The Coronation Street legend was presented with a bunch of lilies, a camera and a cake, baked in the shape of Alf's trademark pork pie hat.

And at the show's subsequent anniversary and Christmas party, attended by the father-of-six with his wife Norma and daughter Helen, he was given a specially-made model of the Street complete with caricature models of its characters.

Mr Mosley first appeared in the top-rating soap in 1961 and had been the third longest serving member of its cast. The filming of Alf's final scenes - it is understood he will die peacefully in an armchair at step-daughter Gail Platt's house on New Year's Eve - has just been completed at Granada's Manchester studios.

The emotional scenes, which mark the end of an era, are due to be screened on January 1. But asked if he would be watching Mr Mosley said: "I doubt it. Someone will be recording it but we don't usually watch TV at New Year."

Meanwhile Mr Mosley, 67, who lives in Nab Wood, said filming Alf's death had been all in a day's work for him and the other cast members.

He said: "We weren't all in tears about it - I'm just sad that it may be upsetting to some people who watch the show and take it almost as reality."

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