TOP DJ Chris Evans is rumoured to have quit his prestigious radio slot because he couldn't have Fridays off - but Rock FM disc spinner Kev Seed reckons it might be because of him!

Record audience figures put the Preston-based station top of the league for local listeners with the popular Breakfast Show host and Citizen columnist continuing to pull in the crowds. Latest regional statistics - published quarterly by Radio Joint Audience Research - put Rock FM in first place with almost 400,000 listeners a week, way above Radio One which struggled for fourth with only 233,000 listeners.

Kev Seed said: "Chris Evans has affected a lot of people in the radio industry but he has not touched me.

"I heard him once and didn't hear one song in 40 minutes. The key is to have more, and better music, and to have a laugh. I thoroughly enjoy doing it and if I didn't it would come across in the show."

Red Rose Managing Director Tom Hunter said the figures were good news for Rock FM: "I am particularly delighted Kev Seed's breakfast show continues to dominate the market, whereas Radio One and the much hyped Chris Evans can only manage fourth position."

Red Rose's other station Red Rose 999 was also celebrating after the figures showed another 14,000 people are tuning in.

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