CORONATION Street actor Michael Le Vell, who plays garage boss Kevin Webster in the TV soap, has been charged with child sex offences.

Le Vell, 47, whose real name is Michael Turner, is accused of 19 sex offences including raping a child, indecently assaulting a child and sexual activity with a child.

Le Vell, a stalwart on the popular ITV series, will appear in court in two weeks’ time, Greater Manchester Police said.

He was first arrested in September 2011 and questioned over alleged child sex offences, but the matter was later dropped.

But late last night GMP said the actor, from Hale, Cheshire, had been charged with sex offences against a youngster after a review of evidence by lawyers from the Crown Prosecution Service.

He is due to appear at Manchester Magistrates on Wednesday February 27.