April (Episode 427)

April was a curvaceous blonde of an indeterminent age (though she admitted to no more than twenty-eight) who was one of the candidates for the post of cook/housekeeper that Len Fairclough advertised for in January 1965. He had just thrown out Emily Ainsworth, a fire-and-brimstone breathing dragon, when April sashayed up to his door in a three-quarter length leopardskin coat and high heels, instantly attracting his attention.

Finding out what the "L" in his name stood for, she insisted that she would call him "Lenny" and gave him saucy answers to his serious questions about her cooking skills and the like. Even an experienced man like Len started to feel uncomfortable in the presence of such a man-eater and he stammered out the promise of a reply as soon as possible to her application.

She went immediately to the Rovers where she gained an audience of the menfolk while Annie Walker looked on with disapproval when she boasted that the job was hers. Seeing Elsie Tanner walk in, Annie gleefully introduced the two women whose hackles rose instantly as they sized each other up. Things weren't helped when April sarcastically enquired if the problem was Elsie's daughter possibly fancying Len and Mrs Tanner angrily retorted that the "big mouth" was not much of a spring chicken herself. Daggers were drawn but Elsie rightfully - and loudly - pointed out that the mascara-laden woman was well out her depth and if she tore her hair out she would be able to see what real colour her roots were. April demanded her name so that she could report her to "Lenny" but Elsie was wholly unconcerned and sent her on her way. Using the evidence of the trial marriage that the two had carried out two months before, Elsie knew that the only thing "Lenny" liked better than football was his big pot belly and that April didn't have the ability to fill it for him. Her reward for seeing off the woman was a drink on the house from Annie.