Coronation Street spoilers: Rita Tanner and Mary Taylor stunned by murderer revelation

Coronation Street stalwarts Rita Tanner (Barbara Knox) and Mary Taylor (Patti Clare) are set for a huge shock next week when they learn that their new neighbour is the son of a cold-blooded killer.

Just days after Carla Connor (Alison King) was left picking up the pieces from her broken marriage to Peter Barlow (Chris Gascoyne), new woes arrived on her doorstep in the shape of estranged nephew Bobby Crawford (Jack Carroll).

After being thrown out by his mum and told to search for his long-lost father, Bobby was dismayed to find out that his dad was spending time at His Majesty’s Pleasure – and was none other than heartless murderer Rob Donovan (Marc Baylis)!

Rob palmed Bobby off onto his aunt Carla, and up until now he’s been led to believe that his dad was wrongly imprisoned after acting in self defence.

As viewers will remember, Rob pushed much loved barmaid Tina McIntyre (Michelle Keegan) off the builder’s yard balcony and bludgeoned her around the head with a metal pipe ten years ago, ensuring she would never live to expose him and then-girlfriend Tracy Barlow (Kate Ford) for selling stolen goods in their second hand shop Barlow’s Buys.

The story was one of Corrie’s biggest whodunnit’s, with four potential suspects – Rob, Tracy, Carla and Peter all thrown into the mix as the potential killer.

Now, with cheeky chappie Bobby settling into Weatherfield life and taking up a position in the Underworld sales team, it was only a matter of time before he learnt the truth about his dad’s crimes – especially with so many residents fondly remembering poor Tina.

Next week, gossips Rita and Mary are to corner him, asking about how he came to live on the street and questioning his parentage. Bobby is only too happy to spill to the women about his upbringing, leaving them shocked at his revelation.