The workshop trained stars of Coronation Street and Emmerdale

The Oldham Theatre Workshop in Greater Manchester runs courses for about 400 young people aged between 8-25.

Suranne Jones and Michael Le Vell, who play Karen McDonald and Kevin Webster in Coronation Street, started their careers at the groups.

Workshop leader Eddie Latter said the council would be "foolish" to lose it.

'Community service'

"We hold workshops every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, and there's a show that goes on every term, so we're also rehearsing on Wednesdays.

"We're seeing 3-400 kids a term - we do stuff every day of the week.

"It has such a massive effect on the local community. We're effectively serving the community seven days a week.

"An enormous amount of outreach work is done and it would be a shame to lose all that.

Oldham Theatre Workshop cannot be ruled out at this stage Oldham Council

"All of those people who have trained here and gone on to do great things - well that's just a bonus."

Other stars to have attended the workshop include Anna Friel, Lisa Reilly, Casualty actress Sue Devaney and Gemma Wardle from Family Affairs.

But the group credit themselves with giving children confidence and keeping them off the streets.

Mr Latter said: "We're looking to have a meeting with the council on 2 December.

"We're not allowed to add to the meeting, but we will have a massive presence there.

"We just want to get everyone on board."

Assistant Director of Education and Culture at Oldham Council, Nick Ford, said: "Oldham Theatre Workshop is being considered for closure as part of the need for the Council to find savings of �9.6m, in order to deliver a balanced budget and a council tax rise of no more than 5 per cent next year.

"Many options across all Council departments are currently being looked at and Oldham Theatre Workshop cannot be ruled out at this stage," he said.