Posh ahead in chart race - just

Posh Spice Victoria Beckham is only just ahead in the race with club act Spiller to be number one - despite a hectic promotional tour.

She is set to oust fellow Spice Girl Melanie C from the top spot following a packed schedule of interviews and appearances, including taking husband David Beckham along to a signing session in London on Monday.

But she faces a head-to-head battle with dance act Spiller, whose single was released on the same day.

Both tracks scored two of the biggest first day sales this year, shifting roughly 50,000 each on Monday.

Beckham's collaboration with Truesteppers on Out Of Your Mind shifted 51,675 copies on Monday, while 49,379 copies of Spiller's Groovejet (If This Ain't Love) were sold.

Jason Legg of retail chain HMV said: "I think it's too close to call at this stage. I suspect Spiller's track will have more staying power while I think Truesteppers will be in and out of the charts fairly quickly."

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Protesters' anger at Potter film

Christian protesters have vowed to disrupt filming of the first Harry Potter film at Gloucester Cathedral, despite a go-ahead from the authorities.

Protesters are appealing to Warner Brothers, who are making the film, to rethink their decision to film at the cathedral, claiming the story incites witchcraft.

Seven Christians, based around a website and online religious shop called New Day, said they will picket the site with banners and hymn-singing when filming begins later this year.

The 900-year-old site was chosen as a key location for the making of JK Rowling's first book Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.

Paula Clare, 45, of Quedgeley in Gloucestershire, said: "If Jesus was at the cathedral he would not allow this.

"They should not be using the cathedral, which is a house of God. The character of Harry Potter is a wizard encouraging witchcraft and is contrary to the word of God," she said.

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Radio 4 courts young listeners

Three years after former BBC Radio 4 boss James Boyle axed children's programmes from the network, a new magazine show targeted at eight to 10-year-olds is to be launched.

New controller Helen Boaden said the new half-hour show, which is likely to start next spring, will initially run for a trial period:

"We'll give it a year to see if we win an audience for it. I don't expect to recreate Listen With Mother but I believe we should give children some exposure to speech radio that is explicitly aimed at them," she said.

The programme will feature Jackanory-style stories narrated by well-known voices and will have an associated website to back up the project.

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Beatty's presidential failure

Warren Beatty has revealed he tried unsuccessfully to find a candidate to run against George W Bush and Al Gore in the coming presidential election.

"I had hoped someone would run as a Liberal Democrat but no one did," he told Daily Variety.

"I tried to talk to some very good people into doing it but no one wanted to and it was too costly," the 63-year-old Hollywood star said.

The veteran actor and director, who has been active in Democratic Party politics for more than 30 years, decided against running for the US presidency in January.

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Pacino to appear with cyberstar

Al Pacino is set to appear alongside a computer-generated co-star in a new film, according to reports.

The artificially-created actress will feature in the romantic comedy Simone, to be directed by Andrew Niccol - writer of The Truman Show.

Niccol reportedly decided on the high-tech solution after failing to find someone suitable for the part.

The film is about a young woman transformed into an overnight star by Pacino who does not realise she can't handle the pressure.