 Carol started her own acting career at age three.Before landing the part of Martha Longhurst, Carol worked in the provincial theatre for many years.Carol, although only 46 years old at the time played Martha Longhurst as a waspish beldam many years her senior, who first appeared in December 1960; with Ena Sharples, played by Violet Carson and Minnie Caldwell, played by Margot Bryant she made up the formidable trio that held court in the snug of local public house, the "Rovers Return".