GEMMA Terry was determined to be there for her idol's star turn on his home turf at Southampton Guildhall. (25/9/00)

The 14-year-old got up at 5.45am to make sure she would be at the front of the queue when tickets for Craig David's November concert were to go on sale at 9am on Saturday.

But when she arrived, Gemma found the civic centre deserted - save for one other fan.

"I thought they would be queuing round the block for this concert," said Gemma. "It will be overwhelming to see him live in Southampton and it should be a really electric event."

The trickle continued until there was a queue of 20 when the doors finally opened at 9.30am.

But the low turn out was not a sign that Southampton was indifferent to its star of the moment - rather that eager fans were jamming the phone lines to book their tickets. All tickets were expected to be sold by today.

Fans who had waited since 7.45am in the hope of a front row seat, were disappointed when they found phone sales of tickets had started at 9am and the best seats had already gone.

Kathy Bush, 43, of Brownlow Avenue, Bitterne, said: "I will be making a formal complaint to the council about this. I am here to get tickets for my daughter Emily, who is nine, and we wanted to be sitting in the front row of the balcony but we are five rows back."

Heather Richardson , Guildhall sales and marketing manager, said: "Organisers SJM Concerts told the radio station to say tickets were on sale from 9am but they hadn't checked with us. However, the box office does not open until 10am. We could not sell tickets on the door from 9am because they are not enough staff available to open the building. So we came to a compromise with the promoters that we would start selling the tickets from 9.30am.

"The promoters were very insistent that we should sell some tickets from 9am and they pleaded with us to open the phone sales from 9am. We are sorry if anyone was disappointed."

Craig David made musical history in April when he became the youngest British male solo artist to get a number one hit with his debut single Fill Me In.

Now he has three chart-toppers under his belt, including Re-Rewind When The Crowd Say Bo Selecta.

YOUR VIEW ON CRAIG DAVID

Kathy Bush, 43, of Brownlow Avenue, Bitterne, said: "It is nice to have a pop star who has come out of Southampton. He's got a lovely, soulfull voice, he writes his own lyrics and he's very talented."

Gemma Terry, 14, of Grange Road, Netley, said: "I really like his garage music and he is really goodlooking. Fill Me In is my favourite song ever."

Jacque Wilson, 36, of Mottisfont Road, Eastleigh, said: "It is quite rare to have solo singers these days. His music is lovely. His songs You Know What and Rendezvous are full of meaning about relationships and I find them very personally relevant."

Hannah Khdir, 15, of Newlands Avenue, Shirley, said: "I've been a fan of Craig since his first big hit ReRewind with the Artful Dodger. My favourite numbers are Booty Man and Rendezvous and I'm really hoping he'll do them at the concert."

Kate Atwell, 18, of Shirley Avenue, Shirley, said: "His music is unique in the way he mixes garage music and r and b and on top of that he's really sexy. I think he's going to become a worldwide r and b phenomenon."

Laura Macklin, 13, of Oak Vale, West End, said: "He is a really big star - everyone's talking about him at school. I am getting eight tickets. I'm taking my mum, my nan, my sister and some friends. My nan actually bought Seven Days because she liked it so much."

Kevin Coombes, 44, of Itchen View, Mansbridge, said: "I've always been a fan of soul music - I love the old Tamla Motown greats Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye. Craig David is a natural successor and he's never forgotten that he comes from Southampton."

Tyler Coombes, 15, also of Itchen View, Mansbridge, said: "It is quite funny that me and my dad both like this music. I like Craig David because his songs are really easy to listen to and he's a great singer. I doubt if we'll be coming together though."