SQEAKY-CLEAN Bury band AL!VE will be fronting a national campaign telling youngsters that it's cool to have good manners.

The teenage rockers, who hit the national headlines last December after playing at Prince Charles' 50th birthday bash, are the leading lights behind a campaign for courtesy.

And following their date at Buckingham Palace they are now set to be VIP guests of the Duke of Devonshire for their next gig.

The songsters hope to dispell the "old fashioned" myth that drugs and bad behaviour go hand in hand with rock 'n' roll.

The group are to be made honorary members of the national Campaign for Courtesy when they appear at Chatsworth on April 15.

The local band, who formed in 1996, will be spearheading a "National Day of Courtesy" on October 1. Manager Peter Ross, father of 16-year-old lead guitar/vocalist Andy Ross, said: "The lads are very pleased to be involved in this campaign.

"I think young people get a raw deal these days. The majority of youngsters are decent, hard-working and are absolutely superb."

Schools across the country are being urged to take part in the bid for better manners.

They will be asked to put together a definition of courtesy - with a chance of winning £1,000.

AL!VE, consisting of 16-year-olds Andy Ross, Daz Kane, Martin Whyment and 17-year-old Craig Stelnicki, landed their amazing gig at Buckingham Palace last December after writing a cheeky letter to the Queen.

They told her that they did not do drugs, were not scruffy and did not use foul language.

Peter explained: "I don't want to put the boys in the band on any kind of pedestal. They are normal young lads. But I've always told them to leave a good impression."

Besides the campaign, the band, who are said to be cruising the record deal market after being approached by the biggest labels, are hoping to release their first song We'll See You in 2000 in the autumn.

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