THEY'RE the closest thing East Lancashire has got to Posh and Becks.

She's the singing soap star who wowed a national TV audience by winning ITV's Celebrity Stars in their Eyes on Saturday -- he's the goalkeeper who looks set to play a key role in Blackburn Rovers' forthcoming promotion campaign.

Together, Brookside actress Claire Sweeney and Rovers' reserve keeper Alan Miller are East Lancashire's hottest celebrity couple.

On Saturday, visitors to Crosshill School, Blackburn, came face to face with Claire, when she opened the school's annual fair.

But she took time out to speak to reporter David Higgerson.

WITH some unforgettable storylines to her name and looks which ensure she always stands out in a crowd, you'd think Claire Sweeney would be getting noticed everywhere.

And you'd be right. Everywhere that is, apart from the resort where she recently holidayed with boyfriend Alan Miller, Rovers' up-and-coming goalkeeper.

For, while Claire has taken the soap world by storm with some gripping, headline-hitting storylines which have had coach potatoes everywhere falling off their seats, it seems football fans are much better at remembering a face.

Even though Alan has only made a handful of appearances in the first team at Rovers since joining the Ewood Park side in February last year, it was him the holidaymakers were recognising and the couple soon became 'Alan Miller and his girlfriend!'

Claire, surprisingly, didn't mind much. She said: "Being part of a show like Brookside for so long -- five years now --means that I am bound to be recognised all over the place and that does happen.

"It was a bit of a surprise for both of us when everyone recognised Alan and not me, but I suppose it shows how dedicated football fans are and what a big industry it is.

"I didn't mind though. It made a nice change."

Against a background of footballer-celebrity couplings which include Jamie Redknapp and Louise Nurding and Victoria Adams and David Beckham, the couple have managed to keep something of a low profile, something they are quite happy with.

And while Posh Spice couldn't have made more public her involvement in husband Beckham's life, even down to his choice of underwear, Claire and Alan each let the other do their own thing... even when Claire's character in Brookside, Lindsey Corkhill, transformed herself from gangster to lesbian almost overnight.

Her shocking storylines have sent ratings rocketing but Alan didn't even raise an eyebrow when he heard about the latest plot.

Claire added: "We do our own thing and we don't interfere with each other's jobs. I do my acting and he plays his football and we like it that way."

Claire's "own thing" also includes a talent for singing and her transformation into Celine Dion for the TV cameras showed that a singing career may also be beckoning.

But she was keeping people guessing before the show went out, refusing to say how she had fared with Matthew Kelly and dodging all questions about her future career options with a coy: "You'll have to wait and see."

That's not to say she doesn't take an interest in Alan's career. She is now a regular at Ewood Park.

It was one such day in the players' lounge that led her to attending Crosshill Special School's summer fair on Saturday.

Claire said: "I was approached by Sue Freear, who works there, who asked me to come along and I was delighted to.

"The people round here are really friendly and I love going to watch Rovers now, even though I grew up supporting Everton!"

And the locals quite liked her too. Claire was scarcely able to walk five feet without being told what a lovely girl she was, how natural she was on screen or how exciting her character is.

Money raised at the fun day will go towards a £2,000 millennium appeal to mark the school's anniversary next year.

Picture: Brookside star Claire Sweeney, 13-year-old Chris Chadwick (left) and 16-year-old Alex Robins, play the pluck a duck game at Crosshill School's summer fair, Blackburn.