TAKE THAT ARE BACK FOR GOOD

Like the name of one of their greatest songs, they looked Back For Good. Girls queued for hours in London to meet their idols, Jason Orange, 35, Mark Owen, 34, Gary Barlow, 35 and Howard Donald, 36.

The group, which disbanded in February 1996, announced last Christmas they were going back on the road. The reunion was reported to be worth £1.5million to each member.

The only star absent from their tour was former band member Robbie Williams, 32. He has successfully carved out his own multi-million pound record deal as a solo artist.

But his album, Rudebox, is only running at No 20 in the charts – way behind Take That.

Over the last year Take That have enjoyed a sell-out tour, with rave reviews from music critics. Yesterday the boys appeared at an album signing at HMV in Oxford Street and told the massive crowd they were surprised by the warmth of their reception.

The four blew kisses at swooning girls as they signed copies of their new album, Beautiful World, which went on sale yesterday.

Housewife Karyn Webb, 43, from Croydon, Surrey, was one of the first in the queue. "We have waited 10 years for this," she said. "Once a Take That fan, always a Take That fan."

She had celebrated the band's No 1 last night with a glass of champagne. "We have waited 10 years for this," she added. Essex sisters Lisa Vale, 26, from Dagenham, and Yasmin Johnson, 18, from Hornchurch, agreed. They waited from dawn on Sunday to see their idols, but insisted it was worth standing in the rain.

"You don't think about the cold when you know what you're going to get at the end of it," said Lisa. "It's been freezing but I think the adrenalin kept me going."

The pair were rewarded for their perseverance when they were given bouquets of flowers by the band. "It was absolutely amazing," said Yasmin.

Other fans were just as overwhelmed, with many coming away from their encounter laughing or in tears. "I'd do it again in a heartbeat," said Londoner Rachel Grant, 24.

She added: "I took three days off school when the band broke up. I was devastated." Rachel had come prepared with a sleeping bag, a chair, food and thermal socks.