BURY band Elbow have hit the big time after being nominated for the "Booker" prize of pop music.

The five-piece group have made the final 12 of the 2001 Technics Mercury Music Prize with their debut album "Asleep in the Back".

They were picked out by industry experts from more than 180 albums by British and Irish artists, and are now up against the likes of Radiohead and Gorillaz in the final.

The band are quoted at 12-1 to lift the £20,000 prize when the winner is announced at the Mercury Prize show on Tuesday September 11.

And Bury viewers can see it all the following night when Channel 4 broadcast a 90-minute programme.

It's the latest vindication for the band whose determination has seen them through years of disappointment and false starts. While their sales haven't quite matched those of other bands with Bury connections, such as Hear'Say and Atomic Kitten, their album charted at Number 14 and has attracted almost universal rave reviews.

The Mercury nomination was greeted with delight by Pete Turner, the band's bass player. The remaining line-up is Guy Garvey (vocals), Mark Potter (guitar), Craig Potter (organ) and Richard Jupp (drums).

"People were saying they were going to put our name forward," says Pete. "But because of the ups and downs we've had, we don't really expect anything until it happens. But it's great news, we're all really chuffed about it.

"We're looking forward to the ceremony too, but I can't see any of us wearing black ties! I don't think any of us expect to win it this year, there are a lot of good albums in there."

Pete describes the last year as "weird", especially after long spells living on the dole "totally skint" in Whitefield and Prestwich. "The last few years we've waited for the phone to ring with bad news, but now it's good news. And you don't have time to take it in or appreciate it, you're just working hard and having fun.

"You think you have days off and then you have to do something. Today we're going off to play a festival in Sweden, then others in Portugal, Greece, Japan, then back to Leeds and Reading."

Pete adds: "I've been looking through my media studies file when we were studying at Stand College, and we wrote that all we wanted to do was write music for a living. You look back eight years and realise it came true."

Elbow hit the headlines in less complimentary style when singer Guy had some harsh words for his "small-minded" home town, but Pete says it was something of a storm in a tea-cup.

"It was just one comment made in an interview, about how it seemed to be very hard making it from Bury," he said.

"We grew up here, we've got friends and family here, the last thing we wanted to do was offend anyone. It's no different to any town of that size. Although we stand by his remarks about the benefits agency: they are very unhelpful people! Me and Guy are owed months of housing benefit!

"But moving closer to Manchester was great, meeting many people doing similar things to us, getting gigs and putting out records. I don't think we could have done that from Bury."

The band's next plans are to re-releasing "New Born" as their new single in September, followed by a nationwide tour starting in October at the Ritz in Manchester. Then it's a couple of months off over Christmas to start writing the new album, which may be out by end of next year.

Also on the Mercury shortlist: Basement Jaxx, "Rooty"; Ed Harcourt, "Here Be Monsters"; Goldfrapp, "Felt Mountain"; Gorillaz, "Gorillaz"; PJ Harvey, "Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea"; Radiohead, "Amnesiac"; Susheela Raman, "Salt Rain"; Super Furry Animals, "Rings Around The World"; Tom McRae, "Tom McRae"; Turin Brakes, "The Optimist LP"; Zero 7, "Simple Things".