SOAP star Michael Parr is swapping his usual bad-boy role to be a good samaritan for the day at St Helens foodbank.

Michael, 30, who plays Ross Barton in ITV's Emmerdale, posted a video on Instagram yesterday, urging people to donate cash or food to St Helens foodbank, in Atherton Street.

Apologising for his "muttering and stuttering" in the video, he adds a post saying he was inspired to do the shift after watching Ken Loach's film 'I, Daniel Blake'.

Released earlier this year, the film follows the fortunes of an ill carpenter who finds himself in need of state welfare but struggles to get through the red tape.

Michael will be at the foodbank, known as The Hope Centre, between 9.30am and 3.30pm.

He says: "If you want to come and say hello, that's great but please remember to bring something to donate.

"Money is always preferred because then (foodbank staff) can buy what they actually need.

"Don't be shy... and don't be tight!"

Michael, who grew up on Hard Lane, told the Star: "We've finished filming for Christmas now and I'll be home over the holiday for three Christmas dinners.

"In this day and age, it's so sad to think there are people out there who can't afford to feed their children at Christmas."

He added: "I watched the film (I, Daniel Blake) and it was really moving, it really resonated with me.

"I said to myself 'things like this are really happening - even in this day and age', and I wanted to do something.

"So I'm here for the day - I'm getting stuck in, I'll see how it works."

He didn't rule out putting in more shifts, adding: "Schedule-permitting, I'd do it again. I can't always get back to St Helens as often as I'd like due to filming."

He told us: "I'm lucky to have quite a lot of social media power, being on TV, so by doing this, I'm hoping to raise awareness, bring in donations, and maybe influence more people to get involved."

Will Nesbit, a civil servant, who helped organise the Chocolate Orange Challenge, was there too. He said: "This foodbank has been here for four years. There has been a boom in them.

"Those who receive food packages are first assessed and receive vouchers according to need."

Michael was one of a party of 41 who took on the Everest base camp challenge this autumn, alongside Linzi and Taylor Prescott, to raise cash for the Steve Prescott Foundation.

Over the past three years, Michael won a number of awards for his portrayal of Ross in Emmerdale and last year, he had to pretend to have left the show when his character was 'killed off'.