[Scarlett.]

Coronation Street fireman Paul Kershaw is to be axed from the ITV soap.

It is thought Kershaw, played by Tony Hirst, will be killed off at the end of the actor’s contract, but bosses are staying tight lipped about how he will meet his end.

He could be the second character, alongside Sunita Alahan – played by Shobna Gulati – to be killed off in the Rovers fire later this year.

Hirst, 45, arrived on the Cobbles in 2010 and has been involved in some major storylines, but bosses feel they have taken the character as far as they can.

Last night a Corrie spokesman said: “It’s a big year for the character of Paul.

“He will be at the centre of some explosive storylines which will culminate in a dramatic departure.”

Paul’s most high-profile plot was his complex love triangle with Eileen Grimshaw and his Alzheimer’s sufferer wife Lesley.

The fire at the Rovers Return was filmed earlier this month, with cast and crew working through the night.

A teaser on the soap’s website at the time said: “You may have read reports that the Rovers fire will claim lives.

"We can now exclusively reveal more than one person could die in the blaze at the Rovers.

“Will landlady Stella fall victim to the fire? Could it be barmaid Tina? Fireman Paul? Bad guy Karl? Sunita? Gloria? Eva? Toyboy Jason? No one is safe from the killer flames.”