A SONGWRITING team from East Lancashire is celebrating a rapid rise up an internet music chart.

Singer Pamela Neary (pictured) and her music tutor, songwriter and producer John Chambers, have two songs on BT's Get Out There website, which provides a forum for unsigned artists to get their music heard.

The more people who download the songs, the higher they are placed in the chart - and if they get to number one, Pamela and John will win a prize.

One of the songs, You Stole My Heart, is at number 30, and the other, Wanna See My Baby, is in the top 50.

John, 35, of St Margaret's Way, Blackburn, said they had already had lots of good feedback from internet users who have downloaded the songs. He has even had an e-mail from Tasmania.

The tracks are included on an eight-track album produced by the pair, which they are hoping to distribute via the internet.

The songs have also had some airplay on local radio.

Pamela, 28, of Higher Perry Street, Darwen, is hoping their online success will be the start of something big.

She is desperate to hit the big time for the sake of her four children - Ryan, nine, Daniel, eight, Coral, five and Saffron, three.

She said: "I was thrown out of school when I was 13 and all I want is to better my life and come off income support, and give my children what they deserve."

Pamela and John are currently working on a project to develop songwriting workshops for schools.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.