A LEIGH girl band is on the verge of hitting the big time.

TKO -- made up of Emma Lally, newcomer Katy Malloy (Dizzy) who took over from founder Joanne Leeton when she left to go solo, and Katie White are promising to be the biggest female hits to come from Leigh since The Caravelles.

They had one big chart entry with "You Don't Have to be a Baby to Cry" which reached number 6 in 1963.

The three cracking looking lasses are presently on a tour of Britain and recently backed megaband Steps at the MEN Arena, playing to an audience of 14,000. The lasses -- like Elvis -- claim they "don't sing like anyone" and prefer to be individual.

The group is managed by Katie's father, David, who broke new ground by releasing their debut single "Girlfriend" over the Internet.

They are hoping the next "Stay" will be the one that takes them to the top, following in the footsteps of sixties' hero Georgie Fame, The Caravelles, and seventies' favourites The Buzzcocks.

Good luck girls, it's time the town spawned more hitmakers.

NEW singing sensation Russell Watson has this area to thank for his break into opera.

The still down to earth Russell was performing in a Wigan club when a member of the audience asked him to sing Nessun Dorma.

He did and was on his way. The rest is history. What a year it's been for him. Lucky lad.