TWO soap stars will swap the iconic cobbles for Broad Street Mall when they switch the shopping centre’s Christmas lights on.

Coronation Street’s Catherine Tyldesley,, who plays Eva Price, and Ryan Thomas, who plays Jason Grimshaw, will illuminate the shopping centre on Saturday, November 16, at 4pm.

It will be the grand finale to a day dedicated to festive fun, where children will be able to visit Father Christmas at the Christmas Grotto, which will be open from 10am-3pm on the ground floor of the mall.

Visitors will also be entertained from 11am by semi-finalists from Reading’s Got Talent, plus dancers from Theatretrain and Starlet Dance School.

Youngsters will have the chance to meet Topsy Turvey Ted and receive a free Christmas present, before getting their faces painted, and the stars of Coronation Street will sign autographs for queues of eager fans.

The excitement will then continue into the evening at The Oracle Shopping Centre, where the Christmas Spectacular will light up the skies at 7pm. Heart FM DJ Toby Anstis will host the switch-on and guests will be invited to take their places on the bridge near Jamie’s Italian restaurant for the firework show, accompanied by music and lasers.

People will need wristbands to get into The Riverside from 6pm on the night, which can be collected from the Customer Information Desk in The Oracle from Friday next week. Wristbands are limited to four per person.