THERE was a time when the world of pop music was a no-go area for women of a certain age.

But 54-year-old Debbie Harry has shown that the times are a'changing by hitting number one with her band Blondie's comeback single song Maria.

Debbie has been an icon since her New York punk pop outfit shot to fame with Denis back in 1978. Two decades later, she may have slightly more curves but hasn't lost any of her charisma, glamour, or sex appeal.

Debbie, who unlike some woman singers has avoided relying too heavily on the surgeon's knife to hold on to her youth, said the band have to strike a balance between their back catalogue and the new material.

She said: "If we didn't play Sunday Girl and Heart Of Glass we wouldn't get out of concerts alive."

Blondie's comeback single Maria typifies what they do best - simple straightforward pop with a catchy hook.

But Debbie admits she had doubts about re-forming the band: "I wasn't too sure. I'd just given up being Blondie and was being Debbie. I didn't want to be seen as some '80s revival or oldies band. But when I heard Maria I thought it was a good pop song."

Debbie was born in Miami and adopted at the age of three months. She was raised in New Jersey and moved to New York in the late 1960s. Before hitting the big time she was a waitress, a secretary, a hairdresser and even a Playboy bunny.

In 1973 she met Chris Stein at a gig. They started dating, moved in together, then began to write. Two years later they were joined by keyboard player Jimmy Destri and drummer Clem Burke to form Blondie. Although they became part of the New York music scene, the band had their first hit in the UK with Denis.They notched up five number ones in this country, and in 1980 they turned to disco. Two years later Blondie split and Debbie and Chris's relationship hit the rocks.

Chris became ill with a rare skin disease and Debbie spent three years nursing him back to health.

Although no longer an item today, they remain close friends.

"We are soulmates, but Chris got married and has got someone else now. I don't regret spending those years looking after him. He would have done the same for me." she said.

Debbie herself is planning to welcome the dawn of the next century with a concert on Miami Beach, and could have a Millennium hit with her song I Want That Man, which includes the line 'here comes the 21st century'.

Blondie play Manchester Apollo on Tuesday, November 23.

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