Coronation Street bosses have dropped their main summer storyline because it echoed the abduction of Madeleine McCann, it emerged today.

Producers on the ITV1 show axed the plot that was already being filmed because is featured the kidnap of baby Freddie Peacock.

Scenes from the forthcoming episodes featured the character's mother, Claire, played by Julia Haworth, at press conferences clutching her baby's teddy.

It was decided the storyline was too similar to the real-life kidnapping of British three-year-old McCann.

The daughter of Kate and Gerry McCann was abducted last Thursday while the family was on holiday in Portugal.

The Coronation Street storyline was due to run for four months and actors had already been filming for two weeks.

Producers took the decision to axe the entire plotline after photos of Madeleine's mother holding her daughter's favourite cuddly toy were "disturbingly" close to the sequences already filmed.

Scriptwriters are now frantically working to change the story, which was due to hit the screens from May 21.

A spokeswoman for the show said: "We are aware that there are some similarities in a future Coronation Street storyline to the events surrounding the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.

"We would not wish to add to the family's anguish at this terrible time and we are currently reviewing our storyline including episodes which have already been filmed.

"There were some quite disturbing similarities to the situation in Portugal and we didn't want to add to the torment of Madeleine's parents.

"There were differences, too, but we took the view that it was just too close to the situation in Portugal."

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