DO YOU remember screaming in frustration at Deirdre in Coronation Street as she fell for conman John Lindsay?

The storyline seemed unbelievable to many people who found it implausible that the usually intelligent character could be fooled by a man who claimed to be a pilot, but really worked at a branch of Tie Rack at Manchester Airport.

Lindsay also said he was single, when in fact he was married to a woman who lived only a few miles from Weatherfield.

The story may have seemed far-fetched to some viewers, but many women have fallen prey to men who have double-lives.

A lecturer from the Bolton Institute has now decided to carry out research into the behaviour and the effect it has on the victims and wants to hear from anyone in the town who has experienced a similar relationship at first hand.

Christine Kirkman was hooked by the Lindsay plot and decided she would be the first to look into this specific area of abuse.

She has been in touch with the soap's makers, Granada, who were amazed with the numbers of women who had contacted them at the time Deirdre was being duped.

"That particular storyline sparked off a lot of interest," said Christine. "Hundreds of women telephoned in to Granada, saying 'that happened to me'.

"Some people said it was a ridiculous storyline and that they were being taken for a ride, but that contradicts the experience Granada had.

"Although there have been many studies on physical and psychological abuse in relationships, there has never been any studies carried out in this particular area."

Christine and her co-researcher Josie Berry, have started to identify the specific areas they wish to study and have been amazed at some of the stories they have collected.

Christine, 56, said: "One case involved a BT telephone engineer who had a lovely wife with a child on the way, but married someone else 50 miles away and had a £7,000 reception and a honeymoon in the Maldives.

"He used a friend's divorce certificate and his skills as an engineer to intercept calls to check his marital status. The men seem to get a buzz from their victimisation, like a criminal, and show no remorse whatsoever for the consequences of their actions.

The research will eventually be published and made available to academics, students and members of the public.

Christine was a psychiatric nurse and has always had an interest in women's issues. She entered the academic world 16 years ago and has been at the Bolton Institute for five years.

Anyone who would like to contribute to the project can contact her in strict confidence by writing to Christine Kirkman, Senior Lecturer, Health and Social Studies Department, Bolton Institute, Deane Road, Bolton, BL3 5AB. Replies will be sent to all letters received.

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is a senior lecturer in psychology and mental health and also teaches research. She was a psychiatric nurse