Coronation Street favourite Audrey Roberts, played by Sue Nicholls, will become the soap’s latest star to suffer a heart attack on the famous cobbled streets next week.

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) is urging women in Yorkshire and Humberside to take the storyline to heart and take an online test to see if their own lifestyle could be putting them at risk.

More than 3,630 women in Yorkshire and Humberside die from heart disease each year. It kills three times as many women as breast cancer and is the single biggest killer of women across the UK.

Yet many women aren’t aware they should regularly check their heart health. Survey statistics from the charity show less than a third of women – 31 per cent – are aware heart disease is the UK’s biggest killer and less than half – 47 per cent – would dial 999 if they showed the symptoms of a heart attack.

Over the past few months, Coronation Street viewers have seen Audrey attempt to lead a healthier lifestyle following a trip to her GP, but Monday’s double-bill will see her suffer a heart attack.

Sue Nicholls said: “Audrey is a much-loved character and many women will identify with her lifestyle. She works long hours, has little time to exercise and enjoys a tipple down the Rovers. After her heart attack, Audrey starts to think more about her heart health and lifestyle. I hope the women watching Coronation Street will think about theirs too. The truth is it could happen to anyone of us. It’s not just middle-aged men who are affected.”

Doireann Maddock, senior cardiac nurse at the BHF, said: “The sad truth is that almost 40,000 women die from heart disease each year and too many lives are lost to a killer which is largely preventable. We’re urging all women in Yorkshire and Humberside to take our online lifestyle check. It takes less than 10 minutes, but could help make a big difference to your heart health.”

The BHF is gearing up to take calls from the public worried about their heart health on the night of the show via its heart helpline on 0300 333 2 333 and is encouraging women to take its online check at bhf.org.uk/audrey.