PLAUDITS from Hear'Say and BBC producers haven't gone to the heads of the Southampton band The Tenterhooks, after a support set at the live Children In Need concert in Southsea.

It was the response from their own hard core base of fans which really warmed the hearts of Russell Marsden (vocals and guitar), Emma Richardson (vocals and bass), Matt Hayward (drums) and Katie Taylor (keyboards) on that chilly night in Castle Field.

"It was the scariest and the best thing in the world," says Russell.

"There were 15,000 happy people cheering us on - and standing on the Radio 1 Roadshow rig with lights everywhere and the TV cameras swooping across the stage and out into the crowd was amazing.

"You could only see the first 5,000 but you could feel the other 10,000! And above all the noise we could just about hear this bunch of our own people who'd got there really early to be at the front - screaming our names!

"It made us feel a lot more at home and confident. It took the edge off the absolute fear. Before we went on, it was a case of children in terror."

The four-piece, formerly known as Fleeing New York, formed part of the warm-up for top chart bands Hear'say and Steps at the gig earlier this month and were featured live on BBC TV South on the night and the following Sunday in the highlights programme on BBC1.

Unlike most of the bands playing that night, The Tenterhooks had to get up at 6.30am on the day, to make a guest appearance on BBC Radio Solent with Julian Clegg.

"We played 'unplugged' and did our own warped version of the S Club 7 hit Have You Ever," says Emma.

"It was a great start to the day - and the day finished even better, particularly as we got such good feedback, including praise from BBC producers and Hear'Say."

Now back in the studio recording tracks for their first album, the band will be playing to a more intimate crowd at Talking Heads tomorrow night, with support from Vertigo. Tickets cost £3 on the door. For more information on The Tenterhooks, visit www.thetenterhooks.com