A SOUTHAMPTON trio are expecting to be top of the pops tomorrow by knocking Cliff Richard off the number one spot. (4/12/99)

DJs Mark Hill and Pete Devereux, both from Shirley, and known as Artful Dodger, and 18-year-old singer Craig David, who lives in the city centre, have an anxious wait until the chart position of their single Rewind is announced just before 7pm.

If they topple Cliff's Millennium Prayer with their dance track, which was released on Monday, the group will be the first from the city to top the hit parade.

Mark, 26, who owns Off The Wharf Productions in Ocean Village, said: "The only reason we may not get to number one is that demand for the record has taken everyone by surprise.

"Shops are running out of copies and the record label Ministry of Sound has not distributed enough to meet that.

"Our sudden success has really surprised us because we never expected to get so far but it is the culmination of three years of hard work.

"We are just a bunch of Southampton lads having a laugh and now everything has gone mad, which is cool.

"It will be great to put the city on the map."

Their biggest fans are their mums who say their sons are keeping their feet on the ground and have no plans to quit Southampton.

Pete's mother Yvonne Devereux, from Bitterne, said the 27-year-old still brought his washing for her to do at least once a week. She said: "He is often at our house for his tea or asking me to do his chores.

"They deserve to get to number one for all the work they have put in."

Craig's mum Tina David said the teenager still lived with her at their city centre address.

"I still do all the motherly things like cooking and cleaning for him and he has not let this success go to his head.

"I am so pleased for all of them, and it is nice to have someone who isn't from London or the North having music success."

Mark's mother Lucy Hill, from Cwmbran, Wales, said: "He is a wonderful kid and has always been into his music.

"He does not drink or smoke and is clean-living. "Mark does not dwell on failures and just keeps bouncing back," said Mrs Hill.

Steve West, manager of HMV in Above Bar, said: "There has been a huge demand for the single here - even more than we've had for Cliff Richard's.

"We had a brief period when we ran out of stock but there will be plenty on sale today.

"It's terrific that we can expect big things from local lads.

"The race towards number one is neck-and-neck between the two records."