LANCASHIRE lass Sophie McDonnell is preparing to put the finishing touches to a near-perfect year in pop -- by scooping her first number one.

Sophie, 22, part of all-girl outfit Precious, is currently keeping her fingers crossed that the group's latest single, New Beginning, will top the charts when it is released at the end of the month.

Making number one would not only make Sophie the happiest girl in Lancashire -- she still returns to Penwortham when she can -- it would also prove that there is life after Eurovision. In 1999, the girls were thrown on to the European stage when they were picked as Britain's entry for the contest.

They may not have won but the event proved to be the start of Sophie's dream.

She said: "We never knew we were being entered for the contest but it was a great experience for us.

"We have done so much since and this latest single and the album are really important to us."

Since Eurovision, the girls have put together an album, toured America and visited schools across the country to meet future fans. They even stopped off at Beardwood School, Blackburn, last month.

Sophie said: "It has all been a great experience for us. Going to America gave us the chance to see all of the country in a matter of days.

"It was case of singing, travel, singing, travel and so on. It was really rushed but we got a great reception.

"It is now just a case of waiting to see if the American public go out and buy our stuff. If they do, great, but if they don't, at least I have seen America."

Life on this side of the pond is also moving rather fast. Sophie, whose only fame before Precious was a small role in Emmerdale, added: "We have spent the past few weeks on the road in schools.

"That was really good because we didn't just perform, we also did workshops so got to talk to the kids really well.

"Now we are just preparing for the launch of the single and album. We are doing picture shoots and TV stuff. It is just mad but I am loving it."

Sophie describes the album as a mixture of everything, reflecting the sophisticated pop brand the group have tried so hard to cultivate.

She said: "We are proud of it. It is a real party album, one you don't get bored of because it is so diverse."

And as for the single: "It would be a great to get a number one . . ."