GRIEVING mourners gathered at a Bury church to pay their last respects to a tragic young woman.

The coffin was carried inside for a tear-jerking ceremony and friends and relatives wept outside.

But the scene was not a real life tragedy -- it was the filming of an eagerly anticipated episode of Coronation Street.

It took place at St Mary's Church, Prestwich, and the Street's serial killer Richard Hillman led the mourning at the funeral of his latest victim.

In a particularly callous twist, the man TV viewers call "Tricky Dicky" placed a reassuring arm around the shoulder of Emily Bishop -- the Weatherfield regular he meant to kill.

But today it was still not known whether the dead Corrie favourite was hairdresser Maxine Peacock or student Toyah Battersby. It is rumoured that Maxine is battered to death by Hillman after she stumbles across his wicked attempt to kill Emily, played by Eileen Derbyshire, so he can get his hands on her house.

But this Friday viewers will see Hillman, played by Brian Capron, arrive at Emily's house to find the blonde student Toyah there. They will be left wondering whether or not she is the victim .

The dramatic appearance of Toyah's ex-boyfriend, Spider Nugent -- played by actor Martin Hancock -- at the funeral has further fuelled the speculation. The funeral scenes follow the Christmas Coronation Street special in which Hillman prepared to smother Emily with a pillow as she slept, but was interrupted by newsagent Rita Sullivan.

Hillman has already struck twice, leaving former business partner Duggie Henderson to die after he fell from a balcony. Hillman stole his £70,000 savings.

And he murdered ex-wife Patricia and buried her in the foundations of his luxury flats development when she threatened to expose his dodgy dealings.

The funeral scenes were filmed under tight security yesterday. Mourners included Fred Elliott, played by John Savident, Curly Watts, played by Kevin Kennedy, and Martin Platt, played by Sean Wilson.