POP fledglings Hear'Say are in line for further success as they bid to be awarded the annual Record of the Year title.

The group, including Bury's Suzanne Shaw and Wigan's Kym Marsh, is among 20 acts nominated for the 2001 accolade.

Hear'say feature alongside groups such as S Club 7 and artists including Robbie Williams and Kylie Minogue.

They were on hand to hear the shortlist announced in London yesterday and were delighted to find their first single Pure and Simple was included. Bookmakers William Hill has ranked them at 12-1 for the title.

Suzanne said: "I think being shortlisted is brilliant because many people seemed to write us off when we started. They said we wouldn't last a year."

Their debut track was the fastest selling single of the year and shifted more than half a million copies in its first week of sale. The group release their third single, Everybody, on Monday.

Members of the public will vote for the winner during a live TV special on ITV1 on December 8.

The title has been won for the past two years by Westlife but the Irish quintet have ruled themselves out of the running for the 2001 title.

Kylie's single Can't Get You Out Of My Head -- a chart-topper for four weeks -- is favourite to win the title, with William Hill placing her at 6-4. Robbie, with whom she dueted in the single Kids last year, is second favourite at 5-2.

TV viewers will have a chance to whittle the 20 entries down to just 10 following a preview show on December 2.