A COUNTRY band from East Lancashire have won a national accolade from radio DJs and listeners - despite their CD being unavailable in record shops.

Western Union - formed four years ago with members from Burnley, Clitheroe, Rishton and Clayton-le-Moors - have won the UK Radio Listeners' Award.

They beat competition from almost 60 other acts from home and abroad.

Members Jim Hulmes, of Burnley, and Tony Carter, of Clayton-le-Moors, travelled with publicist Jean Berry to the UK Country Radio Awards, in Surrey, where they received the prize.

Other bandmates are Mike Martin, of Rishton, Steve Williams, of Rochdale, and Bernard Fullalove, also of Clayton-le-Moors. Ronnie Ronson, who has played an important role, recently left the group.

They have proved popular in Europe and recently enjoyed a higher position in a radio industry airplay and listeners' request chart than country diva, Shania Twain.

The group's first CD, Quiet Storm, is not available in shops because it does not feature a computer barcode to identify sales. However, it can be bought on the internet and at gigs. But despite this limited availability, it has been a big hit with radio presenters and listeners to country music programmes.

In the UK Country Radio Awards, it was nominated with 57 other albums, including recordings by stars such as Charlie Landsborough, Isla Grant and Raymond Froggett.

Publicist Jean Berry, who lives in Lostock Hall, said: "The band have a really good reputation. They appeared in front of 64,000 people at an American music festival in Nottinghamshire last year on the main stage before Bill Wyman, ex-Rolling Stone.

"They've all been involved in music for years. Jim, the main songwriter, was in a folk group in the 70s which won a Lancashire music award. And Tony used to play guitar in other bands, including Clayton Country, and performed with Jimi Hendrix and The Who.

"They have a wide range of musical influences, including bluegrass, cajun, traditional and contemporary country music."

Mrs Berry can be contacted on 01772 312409 or, alternatively, e-mail them on west_n_union@btopenworld.com.