TWO years ago, pop stars Atomic Kitten were a struggling band who performed in front of school youngsters.

Now strutting their stuff out on stage in front of 25,000 people, you'd think the Ewood Park Feel the Noise concert was just another gig for Atomic Kitten.

After all, with a hatful of hits under their slimline belts and enough publicity to make even Chris Evans, Billie and Jordan green with envy, what would a performance in Blackburn mean to them?

Quite a lot actually, if Liz McLamon, one third of this stunning musical trio, is to be believed.

Some 18 months ago, with just one song behind them, the group appeared at North Cliffe School, Great Harwood, to try out a couple of new songs on youngsters there.

It is an afternoon the youngsters remember well, and one that the group haven't forgotten either.

Liz said: "There were some schools we went too which were OK and some which were really, really good, and the visit near here was a great afternoon.

"I loved doing the school visits, especially when the youngsters responded.

"Whenever I hear Blackburn mentioned, I think of the school we went to near there because the children were great.

"It was a great afternoon for them and they told was they thought about the song. That's what is really important to us, what people think."

So with that in mind, when the group were instructed to cancel a string of events due to illness, the girls were strangely adamant they had to play in Blackburn -- fulfilling a promise that they would be back.

Liz has been suffering from chest, throat and ear infections while fellow Kitten Jenny Frost had bronchitis.

Third member Natasha Hamilton suffered nodules.

Only two-thirds of the Atomic Kitten line-up which performed at North Cliffe back in February 2000 performed on Saturday.

Band member Jenny wasn't part of the band then.

She only joined when original kitten Kerry dropped out to concentrate on her new family, which she started with a member of boy band Westlife.

The girls sang four tracks at the school -- one more than at Ewood -- and did a question and answer session with the youngsters, too.

Liz added: "We have had to cancel a load of events because of the illness but because of the reception we had here before, and the relationship we have with Rock FM (the station which organised Feel the Noise) we really wanted to come back."

The group used the event to try out their new single Eternal Flame, a cover of the Bangles hit single. They hope it will emulate Whole Again, which topped the UK charts and currently holds the same position in 11 other countries.

Liz, added: "We promised we would come back and we did. It really was worth it."

And Jenny said: "I wasn't in Atomic Kitten when they performed here, but Sophie McDonnell, who I used to sing with in Precious, lives in Preston, so I have been here before.

"The people were great. It was nice to see so many smiling faces. We've had to give up a lot of gigs, which we don't like doing because it involves letting people down, but the girls said today was a must."

Keith Wadge, the music coordinator at North Cliffe said: "We are delighted they remember us. We remember them and still have their photos up.

"They were up and coming back then and gave an enjoyable concert. I know some youngsters made a point of going to Feel the Noise because they heard Atomic Kitten were going."