Traces of Coronation Street killer Pat Phelan's dramatic Cumbrian storyline have been plucked from a harbour.

A bag - dropped into the water as the massive did-he-die plot built in tension - has been fished out of the water in Whitehaven.

That storyline saw viewers left wondering whether the evil character had fallen to his death is being billed as reaching a dramatic climax this week.

And the discovery of the simple bag has prompted huge interest among fans of the soap.

The piece of TV memorabilia was found by Will Tillotson - who told the News & Star that he's now using it as a coolbag.

"It is a bit of treasure trawled from the depths of the sea," laughed Will, whose boat was used for filming.

Will thought the bag would have been washed out to sea many weeks ago, but when he caught a glimpse of it in the harbour last week, he fished it out.

"The bag was kicked into the harbour during filming and was weighted down with a bag of salt," he said,

"Three months after filming the water was very low and clear and I looked in and thought I saw a cool box.

"I got the boat hook and pulled it out. It's quite funny it was still there and it was absolutely fine once I washed it down."

Inside were two plastic plates and glasses, the bag of salt and a lot of crabs and shrimps.

However, the set of keys which were said to be inside the picnic bag once the scenes aired on television, were not there when Will emptied it out.

"It's a mystery where they went," said Will. "I was surprised to see it still there.

"The coolbag is quite useful and I've kept it on the boat."

Will's boat has became a talking-point among townsfolk with many heading down to the harbour to see it for themselves and stopping to ask him if Phelan is still on board.

The Corrie crew – including the soap's stars Phelan, played by Connor McIntyre, and wife Eileen, portayed by Sue Cleaver – delighted fans when they turned up to film in February.

Many thought the filming was for Phelan's final scenes as Eileen stamped on his hand and watched him fall into the icy waters below.

However the villain survived the fall and has been in hiding ever since.

His reign of terror is set to come to a dramatic climax next week, as he causes terror on the cobbles one last time.