Coronation Street star William Roache has been cleared of one of the seven sex allegations against him after the prosecution offered no further evidence.

The jury in his rape and indecent assault trial at Preston Crown Court was directed by the judge to return a not guilty verdict on the single count of indecent assault.

The allegation was one of two made by a woman who said she was 14 when Roache twice made her perform a sexual act on him in 1965.

Giving evidence, the woman also said that later that same year she was picked up by the actor from the studios in his Rolls-Royce. She said she thought she had also been indecently assaulted in his car but had "no actual memory" of the episode.

Judge Mr Justice Holroyde said: "She was giving evidence that she was thinking it did happen and that is not a sufficient evidential basis for the conviction of an offence."

Roache, 81, of Cheshire, remains on trial over two counts of rape and four counts of indecent assault. He denies all the charges.