MALVERN musicians Duke and Sherrie Ashton and David Lowe tasted pop chart success this Christmas - with a little help from the Tweenies.

They penned and performed the B-side to the Christmas Top Ten hit, It's Christmas Time, by the BBC children's characters.

It reached number nine in the music industry's most important Christmas sales chart, which was announced on December 23.

"I'm pleased," said Mr Ashton. "It's the first time we've been in the Top Ten in this country, although we have done it in the USA."

Despite the success, Duke and Sherrie, who together with Worcester drummer Max Patrick form local pop rockers Candy Channel, have been too busy working to celebrate. But Mr Ashton declined to reveal precisely what they are working on.

"If I told you what we are aiming to do, it could change," he explained. "These things are very fluid."