The cast and crew of EastEnders are being asked to think up new storylines in a bid to boost their ratings.

Suggestion boxes have been put up all around the set so actors and other workers can post their plot ideas.

The move came after the BBC1 soap was beaten by its ITV rival Coronation Street.

The Sun says some of the suggestions have already made it into the show.

Latest figures show Coronation Street - boosted by the sensational Tricky Dicky murder story - pulled in 19.5million viewers in February, a massive four million more than EastEnders.

On average, Corrie is watched by 14million fans and EastEnders by about a million fewer.

An EastEnders spokesman confirmed suggestion boxes were in place on the set in Elstree, Hertfordshire.

"It's a way of everybody being involved in the show and being able to influence it. Quite a few suggestions have actually come off," he said.