CORONATION Street star Rula Lenska opened the Polish-themed May Fayre on the Rye today.

The former Wooburn Common resident added a touch of glamour to the annual event, which has entertained High Wycombe families for more than 20 years.

The Fayre coincided with the anniversary of the Polish 'Constitution Day' and there was a display from the Mlody Las Polish Dancers.

Poland was the first European country to have a written constitution, which was signed in 1791.

There were also dozens of children's attractions on the Rye, near Bassetsbury Manor, including May Pole dancing, a magic show and a fancy dress parade.

Stefan Zachary, himself a Pole and a member of St Augustan's Catholic Church, which organised the event, said: "I was asked to be chairman of the Fayre committee and it just happened to fall on Constitution Day.

“Who better to open the Fayre than Rula Lenska, who is as much Polish as she is English. There are a lot of Polish communities in Buckinghamshire so it's a nice event for them.”

Mr Zachary met Rula by doing some work for the London-based Polish charity Children in Crisis.

Rula, who used to be married to actor Dennis Waterman, said: "I left this area about 12 years ago and I still miss it.

“When my marriage broke up I couldn't afford to live out here any more. But, I spent 16 gorgeous years here, my daughter went to the Holy Cross Convent School in Gerrards Cross and I still visit my dentist in Bourne End."

Rula has appeared in countless television series in Britain for over thirty years including Eastenders, Doctor Who, Footballers' Wives and One Foot In The Grave.

More recently, she has been starring in Coronation Street as Claudia Colby, an acquaintance of Audrey Roberts and is set to appear in several episodes in the coming months.