THE year 2002 was to the commercial dance scene what 1966 was for football -- a damn fine year.

But while Geoff Hurst was the one knocking away the goals which counted at Wembley, All Around the World Records in Blackburn are the ones who have led the assault on the charts for mainstream dance in 2002.

There have been 12 top 20 singles, two number one albums and a silver-selling album for one of the company's longest-serving artists, Kelly Llorenna.

Not bad for a label which is still proud to have its office above Reidy's in Penny Street, Blackburn.

"2002 was a really good year for us," said Matt Cadman from AATW. "We've had some great acts come through but what we are really impressed with is the success of the Clubland compilation CD.

"We tied up with Universal and, as well as having a lot of our artists on there, we also had other acts like Scooter.

"It has become the biggest-selling dance compilation of the year and we have high hopes for the next one we plan to release in March."

There are now plans to release tracks by several new artists -- many already popular on the dance scene -- they have recently signed. But it will be an old favourite first -- Flip 'n' Fill, the DJ duo, one half of which is Darwen man Graham Turner.

Their new offering is a remix of the classic I Wanna Dance With Somebody and is out on Monday.

This week, 11 of the country's Top 30 club tracks have had the Flip 'n' Fill treatment -- Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Soda Club, Kelly Llorenna and Pascal as well as their own tracks -- proving they are one of the most sought-after set-ups around. Another tune from the AATW stable topping the commercial club charts at the moment is Aquagen's Hard To Say I'm Sorry.

The promo to this pumped-up dance track is already out in the clubs and is set to for a single release within the next couple of months. A cover of the Chicago track, this tune is already big in Germany and has also been remixed by . . . Flip 'n' Fill.

Already making an appearance on the compilation CD is the first offering from Rezonance Q, a new signing to AATW.

From Liverpool, their version of Mariah Carey's Someday has also proven popular in the clubs and is set for release at the beginning of February. And planned for re-release is Interactive's Forever Young, a hit back in 1998 but already back inside the Scottish charts on import alone.

But for Kelly Llorenna, now 26, 2002 is the year she proved she really could top the charts -- and celebrated two million record sales to boot.

She said: "My dad just didn't see singing as a career.

"He told me that I had until I was 18 to make something of my singing and if not I would have to seriously think about what I wanted to do with my life.

"I told him that was fine and now I have proved him wrong.

"He loves me working in the music industry now.

"He has all my gold discs at home."