The 20-year-old singer, from Heaton, Newcastle upon Tyne, said she did not think she would have coped as well as she did without the support of her fellow band members.

She was found guilty at Kingston Crown Court last month of assault, occasioning actual bodily harm, on nightclub attendant Sophie Amogbokpa.

Tweedy was cleared of another charge of racially aggravated assault occasioning actual bodily harm on Ms Amogbokpa.

She was sentenced to 120 hours community service and ordered to pay £500 compensation to 39-year-old Ms Amogbokpa, and £3,000 prosecution costs.

Speaking about the case, Tweedy told GMTV: "Without the support of the girls I do not think that I would have got through it as well as I did, to be honest."

Fellow band member Nadine Coyle said the charges and subsequent trial had been really hard for Tweedy.

She said: "She has coped with it really well under the circumstances because we have been working so hard.

"But she got emotional a lot of the time but we all just tried to be there for her and help her through just as best as we could."

The 20-year-old said she was stunned and disappointed after a jury at Kingston Crown Court found her guilty of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

But the singer said she was pleased that she had been cleared of another charge of racially aggravated assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

It had been alleged in court that Tweedy had screamed a stream of racist abuse at Sophie Amogbokpa.

Judge Richard Haworth sentenced Tweedy to 120 hours community service and ordered her to pay £500 compensation to Ms Amogbokpa and £3,000 prosecution costs.

The judge said it was an unpleasant piece of drunken violence and said Tweedy, of Heaton, Newcastle upon Tyne, had shown no remorse whatsoever.

After the sentencing, the singer stood outside court with her mother and tour manager while her solicitor Paul Harris read out a statement on her behalf.

In it she said she was "thankful that the jury had accepted that this incident has nothing to do with race." She added: "I am not a racist and anyone who knows me knows I would not say anything racist."

Tweedy punched part-time law student Ms Amogbokpa, 39, in a row over a handful of lollipops in the lavatory of The Drink Nightclub in Guildford, Surrey on January 11.

Girls Aloud's record label says she will continue to be a member of the chart-topping group. A spokeswoman for Polydor said: "We are pleased Cheryl has been found not guilty of the main charge against her. In light of this decision, Cheryl's position in Girls Aloud is unaffected."

She has been sentenced to 120 hours of community service, and ordered to pay her victim £500 compensation and £3,000 prosecution costs.

Tweedy, 20, was cleared of a charge of carrying out a racist attack on Sophie Amogbokpa.

The jury of seven men and five women were unable to reach a unanimous verdict on a second charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. But they returned a guilty verdict after being given a majority instruction by trial Judge Richard Haworth.

Tweedy let out a gasp and covered her face with her hands when the jury foreman announced the verdict, reached by a majority of 11 to one.

Judge Haworth criticised her for showing no remorse for the attack. He said: "This was an unpleasant piece of drunken violence which caused Sophie Amogbokpa pain and suffering.

"Her eye was painful for three or four weeks, there was bruising for three months and for a while she had blurred vision. You showed no remorse whatsoever."

The judge added: "I take into account your age and good character and do not think you will reoffend." Asked if she understood the judge's comments, Tweedy replied: "Yes I do."

The singer, of Heaton in Newcastle, claimed she was acting in self defence when she punched Miss Amogbokpa at The Drink nightclub in Guildford, Surrey.

Tweedy attacked Miss Amogbokpa in the toilets of the nightclub after a row over lollipops. Surrey police welcomed the guilty verdict, saying the verdict sends out a message that such offences will not be tolerated.

Cheryl Tweedy had experienced a few weeks of "meteoric success" and was "full of her own self-importance" on the night she allegedly punched Sophie Amogbokpa, the court heard.

The "intoxicated" 20-year-old pop star punched the toilet attendant and hurled a "torrent" of insults at her, including racist remarks, because she asked for payment for a handful of lollipops, Kingston Crown Court was told.

In her closing speech to the jury, prosecuting counsel Patricia Lees said famous people sometimes behaved in a way which was "wholly inappropriate to their status". But nobody is above the law, said Miss Lees.

Tweedy had lied about events at The Drink nightclub in Guildford, Surrey, because there was "a lot of things riding on it for her", she claimed.

"Even important or famous people can behave very badly indeed and they have been known to do things which are wholly inappropriate to their status, particularly if they are seen as upstanding members of the community, politicians or role models, and sometimes it is a question of having too much too young.

"You just have to think about allegations of inebriated rock stars behaving as though nobody else is important and they can do what they like. These people are not above the law, nobody is."

Tweedy, of Heaton, denies racially aggravated assault occasioning actual bodily harm and a charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Nicola Roberts, 18, said Sophie Amogbokpa threw the first punch in the row and then hit Tweedy again before the singer hit her back.

She told the court Mrs Amogbokpa first punched Tweedy as she rummaged around in her handbag to get some change to pay for a handful of lollipops she had taken from a display in the ladies toilet.

Miss Roberts told Kingston Crown Court she ran out of the toilet to get a security guard and as she came back in she saw the toilet attendant hit Tweedy again in the face with a clenched fist, adding: "She (Tweedy) just retaliated in self defence as anybody would if they had been punched in the face."

Under cross-examination the singer denied having made up the story about the two punches to help her friend and insisted she would never lie for anybody.

Prosecuting Patricia Lees suggested to Miss Roberts that she had invented the story as a lifeline for Tweedy because she knew her friend was in real trouble.

But Miss Lees suggested she had got the story wrong because she hadn't talked to her friend before giving a police statement. "You (Miss Roberts) threw her (Tweedy) a lifeline and she grabbed it, but you did not have the chance to talk again that is why you've got it wrong, that is why you said she was punched twice," said Miss Lees.

"No," replied Miss Roberts. Miss Lees suggested: "Having made that story up you were put in a very difficult position because you were just trying to help your friend.

"I'm not going to lie for anybody," replied Miss Roberts. "At the end of the day it's my life, my career, I'm not going to lie for anybody."

"Not even for your close friend who was in real trouble that night?" asked Miss Lees. "She was not in real trouble," replied Miss Roberts.

The 20-year-old Girls Aloud singer screamed abuse and punched Sophie Amogbokpa in the face after saying she did not have to pay for the sweets, a witness to the row told the court.

Bryony Gibbs said she had seen Tweedy and her fellow band member Nicola Roberts in the upstairs toilets of The Drink nightclub in Guildford, Surrey, where Mrs Amogbokpa worked, in the early hours of January 11 this year.

She said she thought Tweedy was drunk. The singer had fallen over as she texted on her mobile while dancing on the dance floor.

Miss Gibbs told Kingston Crown Court that the row between Tweedy and the toilet attendant began at just after 1am, after the singer used make-up and took some lollies from the display in the ladies' lavatory without paying.

She said: "The toilet attendant was saying to Cheryl 'I want payment for the lollipops' and Cheryl was saying 'I do not have to pay for the lollies'. She (Tweedy) said 'You f****** bitch, I don't have to pay for these lollies'."

Miss Gibbs continued: "She (Tweedy) seemed hysterical, she was just hysterical - shouting a lot and she was still drunk. She (the toilet attendant) kept on repeating 'I want payment for those lollies'.' When the toilet attendant leaned forward to take away the lollies from Cheryl, Cheryl punched her."

Miss Gibbs said Tweedy's friend, who was also in the toilets at the time, then tried to calm Tweedy down.

Miss Gibbs told the court that Tweedy asked her friend, Miss Roberts, to go and get security during the row.

Tweedy, of Heaton, Newcastle, denies racially aggravated assault occasioning actual body harm and the alternative charge of assault occasioning actually bodily harm.

Kingston Crown Court heard the Popstars singer and group member Nicola Roberts had been drinking wine and champagne in the VIP area of the nightclub.

Patricia Lees, prosecuting, said that the pair went down on to the dance floor and then into the ladies lavatory where Sophie Amogbokpa, the toilet attendant, was sitting on a stool. Despite there being a number of cubicles free, Tweedy and Miss Roberts went into the same cubicle, the court was told.

When Tweedy emerged she was seen to stagger and seemed to be unsteady on her feet, Miss Lees said. Sne said that while Tweedy appeared to be intoxicated, but Nicola Roberts appeared to be much less so and seemed calm and more polite.

The court heard Phillip White, the club's weekend manager who looked after any celebrities, had been waiting outside the toilet for the stars. As the "verbal exchange" between Tweedy and Miss Amogbokpa began, Miss Roberts came out of the toilet and Mr White went in to see what was happening.

Miss Lees said: "What happened was that he (Mr White) saw the defendant punching the lavatory attendant with a clenched fist." She added Tweedy called Miss Amogbokpa a "f****** black bitch" during the course of the attack and was still shouting abuse at her, even while she was being restrained.

Miss Amogbokpa, a part-time law student, told the court Mr White tried to restrain Tweedy. She said: "She (Tweedy) got close to me and punched me in the left eye. I saw her coming but I did not expect that she was going to hit me." She added: "I was in severe pain after she hit me."

Eventually Miss Amogbokpa had to be led away to another room by a member of security staff, the court heard. She told the court the pain in her eye did not subside for three to four weeks and that she had bruising on her face for three months afterwards.

She said that even though she had been punched in the left eye, the pain and bruising had affected her other eye as well. She told the court that she took a daily dose of steroids as a result of a kidney transplant but she denied that this caused her to bruise easily.

Miss Lees said that it appeared that Miss Amogbokpa had "simply stared" at Tweedy during the attack. Tweedy was arrested and taken to a nearby police station, where she claimed she had been hit first and denied using any racist language, the court was told.

Tweedy, 20, is accused of attacking 39-year-old toilet attendant and part-time law student Sophie Amogbokpa at the Drink nightclub in Guildford, Surrey, on January 11.

Tweedy went to the nightclub on a night out with fellow band member Nicola Roberts and became embroiled in the row, Kingston Crown Court has heard.

Patricia Lees, prosecuting, said: "Whilst she (Tweedy) was there, the prosecution say that, no doubt disinhibited by alcohol, she punched a female lavatory attendant over a handful of lollipops and swore at her, calling her a black bitch."

Miss Lees told the jury that Tweedy, of Heaton, Newcastle, was a singer with Girls Aloud, a group created from a television show Pop Stars: The Rivals.

But Miss Lees told the jury "this should not affect you one way or the other" in determining what the proper verdicts are in the case.

She said: "Having said that, the prosecution allege that part of the reason this offence occurred is no doubt because the defendant had allowed her recent success to go to her head that night, causing her to behave this way to a woman working as a lavatory attendant."

Tweedy denies racially aggravated assault occasioning actual bodily harm and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The track, also released on July 7, was recorded in Norway and co-written by Javine with producers Stargate.

Javine, who was rejected by viewers from the final line-up of Popstars: The Rivals' winners Girls Aloud in December, is currently recording her debut album.

She is thought to have signed a £1 million three album deal with Innocent Records after a bidding war among labels including Polydor who signed Girls Aloud and Sony.

The Sun says singer Daniel Pearce, 24, is quitting after their second single limped into the charts at No10.

Ballad Shakespeare's (Way With) Words sold only about 10,000 copies and looks set to lose money for record label Jive.

The Sun quoted a friend of Daniel's who said: "The placing of the single was the last straw.

"He knows they are never going to have a fair crack of the whip so sees no point in continuing as a band. There's no way back for them now."

The future of bandmates Keith Semple, 21, Anton Gordon, 19, Matt Johnson, 17, and Jamie Shaw, also 17, is unclear.

One True Voice were formed on last year's ITV1 show Popstars: The Rivals with Girls Aloud.

However, band member Matt Johnson said it was a "complete pile of rubbish" to suggest that the band were splitting up after only six months.

"Basically, it is just all rumours, rumours, rumours. We are not splitting, it is a complete pile of rubbish," he told GMTV.

The Popstars band release their second single Shakespeare's (Way With) Words on Monday.

But singer Jamie Shaw has branded the track "cheesy" and said the only reason he would buy it is because he's on it.

Promoters of the event, which will feature different artists at each show, have announced the singers will be appearing at Wembley Arena on Friday, May 30.

They join Mis-Teeq, Dannii Minogue, Blazin' Squad, Craig David and Big Brovaz who have already been confirmed for the London show.

The 10-date tour kicks off at the Blackpool Opera House on May 2.

Box Live is also promising fans a variety of interactive events "to allow the audience to get closer to the stars."

One Blazin' Squad fan will have a song dedicated to them at the Wembley gig. They will be given texting details from the stage on the night.

She will perform her new single Real Things, along with a cover of Michael Jackson's Rock With You.

The Popstars reject has signed a three-album record deal with Innocent Records worth £1 million.

The night is hosted by two rising urban stars Darae & Lucy along with a live house band, to be broadcast on MTV Base.

Javine's departure from Popstars: The Rivals made headline news when she didn't make it into Girls Aloud.

At the time Javine said: "I'll rise above it all to have a great solo career. I have always given everything 250 per cent and I won't stop now. Mark my words".

New band Phixx consists of Peter, Andrew, Chris, Nick and Mikey - who is now dating Sarah from Girls Aloud.

They are managed by Nathan Moore - the former singer with 80s band Brother Beyond and 90s act World's Apart.

He also steered the original Popstars losers Liberty X to bigger success than Hear'say.

The band have been working with several songwriters, including Lee from Blue.

Chris told Radio 1: "He's the most talented guy any of us have ever worked with. He's a brilliant songwriter, producer, singer.

"People will print things but the fact that people like Lee with the talent they've got behind them believe in us is a massive compliment."

Mikey failed to make it in boyband One True Voice but has since teamed up with runners-up Nikk, Peter, Chris and Andrew to form new band Phixx.

He first started seeing Sarah while they were appearing in the hit ITV1 show.

The 19-year-old singer went before magistrates in Guildford, Surrey, accused of an attack on toilet attendant Sophie Amogbokpa in The Drink nightclub in the town on January 11.

The charge of racially aggravated actual bodily harm has been withdrawn and replaced with a new charge of racially aggravated common assault.

Tweedy, from Newcastle upon Tyne, issued a statement denying the accusations after the incident but could face up to two years in prison if found guilty.

The case was adjourned by magistrates for her to appear again on April 4 and she was remanded on conditional bail.

The band was formed from the ITV programme Pop Stars: The Rivals and enjoyed initial success with a number one single, Sound of the Underground.

But troubled times have followed with the death of tour manager John McMahon in a Christmas Day car crash and more recently the cancellation of a tour due to poor ticket sales.

Tweedy was arrested in connection with an alleged attack on toilet attendant Sophie Amogbokpa, during an incident in The Drink nightclub in Guildford, Surrey, in January.

Tweedy was charged with racially aggravated actual bodily harm and released on bail to appear before South West Surrey Magistrates' Court in Guildford on March 25.

In a statement issued last night, the 19-year-old singer said: "I am totally devastated by the charge that has been brought against me.

"I have always maintained that I am entirely innocent of the accusations that have been made and I am determined to fight to prove my innocence."

The band were not allowed to attend Thursday's Brit awards because of recent negative press.

And manager Louis Walsh says he doesn't want the girls to be seen out partying until they have had at least two more number one hits.

The awards - a spoof alternative to the Brits - were dominated by former Popstar and Pop Idol acts.

One True Voice topped the poll for worst group. It follows the cancellation of their joint concert tour with Girls Aloud because of poor ticket sales.

Gareth Gates was named worst British male at the awards ceremony, organised by TV channel Music Choice. His chart-topper Unchained Melody was named the year's worst single.

Victoria Beckham also pulled off a double by being named worst female and taking the worst album prize for her self-titled debut.

Cheeky Girls - another act which came to fame through Popstars: The Rivals - picked up two awards, worst international group and single for The Cheeky Song.

Teenage rappers Blazin' Squad landed the title for least convincing urban act.

The award winners were chosen by 100 figures from the music industry and media.

The awards were named in honour of Naomi Campbell, who failed to set the charts alight with her pop career in 1994 when her single Love And Tears made number 40.

Music Choice Head of music & marketing Simon Bell said: "It's about time that music awards stopped taking themselves so seriously, so Music Choice founded the Naomi Awards in a bid to lighten things up."

The tour, headlined by winners Girls Aloud and One True Voice, will now visit venues in Bournemouth, Brighton, Cardiff and Nottingham.

Some of the original tour dates have been moved to allow for the additional shows.

The bands will be joined on the tour by fellow contestants, the Cheeky Girls.

There will also be special performances from show favourites Aimee, Emma, Chloe, Linzi, Peter, Andrew, Chris, Nikk and Mickey

The full list of dates are:

March 1 - Birmingham NEC;
March 3 - London Arena;
March 4 - Bournemouth International Centre;
March 5 - Brighton Centre;
March 6 - Cardiff Int. Arena;
March 7 - Sheffield Arena;
March 8 - Glasgow SECC;
March 11 - Nottingham Arena;
March 12 - Wembley Arena;
March 14 - Newcastle Arena;
March 15 - Manchester Arena;

The concert was originally due to take place on February 28, but has now been rescheduled.

The tour includes dates at London Arena, Sheffield Arena, Glasgow SECC, Wembley Arena, Newcastle Arena and Manchester Evening News Arena.

The bands will be joined on the tour by fellow contestants, the Cheeky Girls.

There will also be special performances from show favourites Aimee, Emma, Chloe, Linzi, Peter, Andrew, Chris, Nikk and Mickey.

She is thought to have signed a three-album contract with Innocent Records.

Viewers were shocked when the 20-year-old singer was voted off the final of the ITV1 show last month, missed her chance of joining Girls Aloud.

Despite her disappointment at the time, Javine said: "I'll rise above it all to have a great solo career.

"I have always given everything 250% and I won't stop now. Mark my words."

Cheryl Tweedy is accused of punching law student Sophie Amogbokpa, 39, who was working as a toilet attendant at The Drink in Guildford.

Tweedy, one of the winners of the ITV show Popstars: The Rivals, was held by police for 10 hours.

According to the Sunday Mirror, Ms Amogbokpa was taken to the Royal Surrey Hospital for treatment to an eye injury.

A Surrey Police spokeswoman said: "A 19-year-old woman was arrested in connection with an allegation of assault in the early hours of Saturday morning.

"She has now been released on police bail pending further inquiries."

The all-girl band, formed by the ITV1 show Popstars: The Rivals, are celebrating their third week at the top after landing the Christmas number one spot just a month after forming.

There have been accusations they did not sing on their track, Sound Of The Underground.

The boy band One True Voice with Sacred Trust continued their fall sinking to number five, while The Cheeky Girls' Cheeky Song (Touch My Bum) single, has clung to the number two spot for the second week.

John McMahon died after the vehicle he was driving crashed near Stafford on Christmas Day.

Mr McMahon, who lived in Staffordshire, was one of the team which helped propel the quintet to the top of the charts earlier this week with their debut single, beating rivals One True Voice.

The two groups were put together for the ITV1 show, Popstars: The Rivals.

In a statement, the band's record label Polydor said: "On behalf of the girls and Polydor, we are truly shocked and upset by the tragic loss of someone we all adored and loved. Our thoughts are with John's family."

A Staffordshire police spokesman said there were no other vehicles involved in the incident, which happened on the A5013 near junction 14 of the M6.

He was unable to give details of how the crash happened.

Geldof says he was approached by representitives from both shows about the possibility of them teaming up to record a cover version of the Band Aid song.

But he says he denied the request because it only came two weeks ago and he didn't think they would have time to do the song justice.

The pictures, from the new Freeserve AnyTime advertisements, show the Cheeky Girls using their bodies as painting tools.

Dressed in tight orange vests and blue hotpants, 19-year-olds Monica and Gabriella Irimia happily splash paint on each other.

The Transylvanian twins are currently storming the charts with The Cheeky Song (Touch My Bum).

The advertisements, made "to celebrate complete freedom", start on Boxing Day and will be followed by a poster campaign in 2003.

Monica and Gabriella said: "We had so much fun with Freeserve and used our best assets to create a piece of modern art.

"We hope everyone enjoys likes the pictures as much as we enjoyed making them."

The all-girl quintet were in a bitter battle for the top slot with One True Voice, similarly manufactured for Popstars: The Rivals.

Sound Of The Underground/Stay Another Day became the 50th Christmas number one, while One True Voice's Sacred Trust is a place below them.

Girls Aloud have sold 213,000 copies of their single at a time of year when singles sales are traditionally at their highest as people buy stocking fillers. One True Voice sold 147,000 copies.

The girls are delighted with their first number one, with Nicola Roberts, saying: "We can't stop screaming. This is the perfect Christmas present after everything we've been through to make it into the band."

Nadine Coyle added: "This is amazing. It has given us so much confidence, as the public have put us at the top by supporting the girls."

The Cheeky Girls are at number three making it a Popstars: The Rivals top three for Christmas.

Fans are being urged to buy The Cheeky Song in order to stop the two Popstars bands reaching the top spot on Sunday.

According to midweek chart sales, The Cheeky Girls are a few thousand copies behind One True Voice, who are losing out to Girls Aloud.

The pair are locked in a battle over the two bands from Popstars.

Waterman said if One True Voice failed to reach the Christmas number one, he would commit suicide.

It looks as though the band will be beaten to the top spot by Walsh's Girls Aloud.

The singer met them in a London hotel this week, when he discovered Gabriela and Monica were staying on the same floor.

But he said that being Romanian, they didn't understand a word he was saying.

He told Radio 1: "I said 'I'm a massive fan, I think it's the best song ever written', and they were like 'ah, thank you, thank you, thank you'. They didn't look too great out of their hot pants, not that they had nothing on - they had something on top where their hot pants would normally be.

"I think that's their selling point obviously - after that, I don't know where they're going to go. Thankfully I've not got a gimmick like that that I need to sustain my career."

"I hope they don't hear this because I think they're great."

Keith fell for Hayley during filming of Popstars: The Rivals Extra, which she presented.

But he says he didn't know who she was at first because he didn't watch Pop Idol, where Hayley made it into the final ten.

The pair are now planning to spend Christmas together.

Cherly, Nicola, Kimberley, Nadine and Sarah were also angry after the boys publicly tore up their promotion posters in London.

The Popstars bands have resorted to a war of words as competition for the Christmas number one hots up.

The girls song, Sound Of The Underground, is currently outselling the boys' Sacred Trust.

But Louis Walsh, who is managing the girls, has dismissed his claims calling him "a liar".

Girls Aloud are ahead in the race for the Christmas top spot, outselling One True Voice, the Popstars boy band Waterman is guiding.

Waterman says the girls' track, Sound Of The Underground, is sung by session singers.

He said: "Their record's a smashing pop record, there's no question, but they're not on it."

He added: "I've had that record since September. The version I got in September is no different, It's just got four other girls' voices on.

"Just listen to it, listen to the choruses, they're session singers."

Walsh, also manager of Boyzone and Westlife, said: "He is a liar - he said the girls didn't sing on their record. He's just running scared.

"I want everyone to know that Pete Waterman is a liar. The girls do sing on their record.

He added: "You're an old man at the end of your career. Go out on top, go out and go out peacefully and don't try and make these five girls into something they're not. You know they're going to get the Christmas number one."

A spokesman for the bookmakers says it's the earliest they've ever opened a book on the festive number one.

The girls are 6/1 to win the Christmas chart battle in 2003.

One True Voice and Fame Academy's David Sneddon are joint second at odds of 7/1.

Hills have also announced they've stopped taking bets on this year's number one: "We have already built up a hefty liability if Girls Aloud are the winners and we don't want to be picked off by people who know more than we do about sales of the records" said William Hill spokesman Graham Sharpe.

Their debut hit, Sound Of The Underground, is being tipped to become the year's best-selling mobile phone ringtone, according to one of the industry's leading suppliers.

Girls Aloud are currently the bookmakers' favourite to top the singles chart this weekend ahead of male rivals, One True Voice.

Supplier Getmedia predicts that sales of the girls' song will even outstrip those of traditional singles in the run-up to Christmas.

But while there maybe a tight race in the charts, there is already an out-and-out winner in the Christmas ring-tone hit parade.

Although there is no official chart, Getmedia director Simon Howship says both the Popstars singles have sold "phenomenally well" this week.

He commented: "But one is streets ahead. If the sales of ring-tones are anything to go by then we would definitely say that the Christmas number one will be Girls Aloud."

It's being tipped to be the firm's best-seller of the year, ahead of Scooter's Logical Song, a reworking of Supertramp's 1979 hit.

A spokesman said: "The Logical Song just went crazy earlier in the year, but Girls Aloud are certainly catching up. It will be a battle between those two."

Bookmakers William Hill have Girls Aloud as the clear favourite for the Christmas number one at 10-1 on, with One True Voice at 5-1 and Sir Elton John and Blue at 16-1.

The two Popstars bands are locked in a battle for the Christmas number one on Sunday.

At the moment, the girls song, Sound Of The Underground, is ahead of the boys' Sacred Trust.

"The girls are trying everything they can to get to number one but they haven't got the talent," says Keith.

"The fight is far from over. Even if they have got a slight lead, they've still got a big fight on their hands."

"The girls can't sing live. They can't harmonise," claims Daniel. "When they tried to record their single for SM:TV, they were so bad they ended up miming."

Girls Aloud are roughly 8,000 copies ahead of their male rivals after the band had their first day on sale.

And it looks like Popstars: The Rivals acts will fill the top three at the weekend with boy band One True Voice look set to take number two and the Cheeky Girls at number three.

Transylvanian twins Monica and Gabriela were laughed off the ITV1 show, but bounced back with a record deal for their Cheeky Song (Touch My Bum) single.

They are marginally ahead of Sir Elton John and Blue - which is actually this week's number one.

Midweek sales figures suggest Girls Aloud have sold in excess of 30,000 copies of their release Sound Of The Underground.

HMV chart expert Gennaro Castaldo said: "First day sales around the country show Girls Aloud have delivered the first blow in the race for the Christmas No.1.

Girls Aloud and One True Voice, whose release is called Sacred Trust, were formed after months of auditions and TV voting.

The boys had long been predicted to take the festive chart-topper. But when both bands' singles were finally aired many changed their minds and Girls Aloud pushed ahead as the bookies favourites for the first time this week.

Bookies are now predicting the all-female act Girls Aloud are favourites for the coveted slot.

William Hill puts Girls Aloud at 5-6 to top the charts at the end of the week, while the boy band from ITV1's Popstars: The Rivals are now at 2-1.

The girls launched their campaign by manning the tills at a record store in Manchester's Trafford Centre.

Around 1,000 people turned up to see the quintet with half of them buying a copy of their single.

A spokesman for HMV says there has been huge interest in both acts at its stores around the UK.

"If anything the girls had started off at a slight disadvantage because everyone expected the boys to win, but that doesn't seem to have been reflected in the sales, and they may well be getting a head of steam," he said.

One True Voice were seen as the theoretical winners with the single Sacred Trust because of the number of young girls that make up the record buying public, who tend to favour boy bands.

But Girls Aloud have defied expectations by coming up with a credible song Sound Of The Underground.

Both acts have lined up a string of personal appearances over the coming days.

The event is limited to the first 200 members of the public who purchase a copy of the single from the store.

The Popstars: The Rivals band will also be signing copies of their debut single at the London store.

Several lucky participants will then be invited to an intimate live performance by the band.

Fans are asked to queue at Door 5, Hans Crescent, with doors opening at 8.30pm.

The girls were originally third favourite to be number one for the festive season.

William Hill originally quoted them at odds of 13/2, but the bookies have now cut the odds to 9/4.

The Popstars boys' One True Voice remain favourites to top the Christmas chart with their odds staying at 4/6.

Hills says several punters have placed hundred pound bets on the girls to beat their male counterparts to the top spot.

Pop commentators including Chris Moyles have criticised the boys' single, some stating that it sounds dated and lacks the originality of their rivals' track.

Monica and Gabriella Irimia, described by Pete Waterman as "the worst act ever" stormed in at number two in the UK chart.

Robbie, 28, who co-wrote the track Feel with Guy Chambers, had to settle for fourth place with the debut release from his fifth album, Escapology.

Feel is Robbie's first release since Somethin' Stupid at Christmas 2001 on which he dueted with actress Nicole Kidman.

The Cheeky Girls' track, The Cheeky Song (Touch My Bum), was penned for the girls by their mother Margaret and produced by small dance label Multiply.

It was held off the number one slot by Eminem's Lose Yourself. Daniel Bedingfield also beat the former Take That star, his release, If You're Not The One, claiming third place.

However, Robbie's fifth album, Escapology, has been announced as the fastest selling album of 2002.

Staying at the top spot in the UK today for a third consecutive week Escapology has achieved quadruple platinum sales.

Meanwhile, One True Voice, the band formed from the winning boys on Popstars: The Rivals are favourites to take Christmas number one.

William Hill are giving odds of 4/7 on the "male harmony group" and 9/2 to Girls Aloud - made up of the five winning females.

The singer has re-recorded vocals to Stay Another Day to hit shops on December 16.

He says he can't wait to go head-to-head with Girls Aloud, who are also set for a chart battle with the Popstars boy band One True Voice.

The Popstars boy's band are being quoted at odds of 4/6 to be top of the chart with their debut single, a cover of the Bee Gee's Sacred Trust.

Second favourite is Scorpio Rising by Death In Vegas featuring Liam Gallagher.

The Popstars girl band, Girls Aloud, are third favourites at 13/2.

"The race to be Christmas Number One is usually looking wide open at the beginning of December," said William Hill's spokesman Graham Sharpe.

"But this year it looks all over bar the singing, with almost every chart expert tipping One True Voice as a certainty. I cannot remember there ever being an odds-on favourite at this stage of proceedings before.''

Walsh admitted he was "totally shocked" that favourite Javine Hylton lost out on a place in the girl band.

The surprise result has led to claims that the phone poll was rigged, with dozens of viewers complaining they were unable to register their vote for the 20-year-old Londoner.

But Walsh, who will manage the group called Girls Aloud, said: "There was nothing rigged, definitely nothing rigged as far as I know.

"They've checked everything out and I don't think there's anything sinister at all. I don't think anything went wrong."

Attempting to explain the result, he said: "I think kids are watching so many of these shows now that they don't vote for the person they like most, they vote for the person that they think, 'Oh, I feel sorry for her. So I'm going to vote for Cheryl, I'm going to vote for Sarah, I'm going to vote for Kimberley."

Walsh said he would not take on Javine as a solo artist because she was too similar to Samantha Mumba, whose career he also manages.

But he said: "I talked to Javine yesterday, she's quite happy and she's going to have a big solo career. I know a lot of record companies are already interested in her."

Javine lost the final place to Sarah Harding, 21, from Greater Manchester, during Saturday night's show.

London radio station Capital FM said more than 50 listeners had called in claiming they had been unable to vote for Javine.

Their debut single, Cheeky Song (Touch My Bum), goes on sale today.

Monica and Gabriela Irimia signed a record deal after finding fame during the audition stages of Popstars: The Rivals.

"We hope to release our next single in February and then the album should come out around Easter," Monica told Ananova.

"The next single will be called My Espanol Dream. Mum has written all the songs for us. She has been writing songs for us since we were small. We love her songs".

Gabriela says the pair are delighted their dream has finally come true: "We went for the Popstars auditions like everyone else, we never thought we would end up like this.

The girls say they have been watching Popstars when they can, but they're not convinced the public have picked the right singers for the two bands: "We watched the boys' final. I don't know how good they are because we've not seen every show. They seem nice boys.

"The girls we did SM:TV with, they were nice, but nothing special" says Gabriela.

Javine says she's "not going to complain" about not getting enough votes to be part of Girls Aloud.

She says it means she can now be herself and "do what I want."

Javine tells The Mirror she has already had a number of offers to go solo.

"I think people are expecting me to be really, really down, but I'm not," she says.

"I'm going to work hard and I can do whatever I want to musically and look the way I want to look".

They had been contacted after complaints from fans claiming they could not vote for their favourite hopeful.

Early favourite Javine Hylton was voted out of the band Girls Aloud on Saturday losing out to Sarah Harding for the last place in the group.

But a Granada spokeswoman said the company was satisfied with the outcome and confident with the procedures they had put in place.

She added Sarah had received over 50,000 more votes than Javine.

A Spokeswoman for Red Fig, who dealt with the telephone voting system for the show, said: "The confirmation messages were correct for each number at all times when they were dialled.

"Throughout the show last night Sarah was ahead of Javine and the text message result mirrored the phone call votes."

Amanda Richardson from the company which provides the text message voting service for the show, said they were "confident" the result of last night's vote was correct.

She said: "A thorough investigation has been conducted and no problems have been found in the way the votes were counted. There were some problems with the confirmations sent out to customers but these had no effect on the results of the