A COUPLE are gunning for more chart success after twice remortgaging their house to make a hit record.

Pawlo and Angela Lawriw, of Moldgreen, stumped up £50,000 of their own money in a bid to turn Angela into a pop star.

Now, the 33-year-old, who goes by the stage name Tia, will release her high-energy dance single, Truth Hurts, on Monday, April 19.

But it's already riding high - above the likes of Janet Jackson and Kylie - in an industry chart based on clubbers' dancefloor response.

Pawlo, a former croupier who organises corporate casino nights, says: "We'd been together a few months when I first heard Angela sing - in the kitchen, while she was cooking a meal.

"She had such a great voice, I knew we had to take things further."

Angela, 33, says: "I used to love hogging the karaoke on nights out with friends - but I never saw myself as a pop star. It's like a dream."

Pawlo and Angela worked on lyrics and music together.

They then remortgaged the house he bought five years ago, borrowing £15,000 to put an album, called Searching, together at a studio.

But Music House, the marketing company that looks after the likes of Jennifer Lopez, told the couple they'd have to come up with a more polished product to get a hit record.

Pawlo says: "We were naive. We thought things would happen straight away."

So the pair, who have a baby, Megan, again remortgaged the two-bedroom stone terrace in School Street to raise £35,000 for remixing, marketing, distribution and legal fees for just one song.

Pawlo even sold his £8,000 car, replacing it with a £3,000 one.

The single, which will come out on Pawlo's specially- formed label Rubicon, was remixed by London company Almighty, who've worked with Madonna and Whitney Houston.

Now it's a big hit in the clubs.

Pawlo says: "We've had loads of great feedback from DJs, especially in gay clubs, who think it's brilliant.

"It's also getting radio play."

* Truth Hurts can be ordered on www.hmv.co.uk at £2.99.