Pop band The Ordinary Boys have been slated for burying their Worthing roots. Stung by the criticism, lead singer Preston took The Argus on a tour of his favourite hometown haunts.

Hours after The Argus revealed The Ordinary Boys apparent attempt to wipe Worthing from their CV, frontman Preston was chatting with Noel Gallagher on the set of Sky TVs sport chat show Tim Lovejoy And The Allstars.

Preston, 22, said: I was talking to Noel about it. He said he was so proud of being from Manchester and that where you grow up has such an effect on the sound of your music.

You cannot escape the fact it is a massive influence. You cannot abandon your roots.

Preston and his band have been criticised by locals including Leo Sayer for turning their back on their lowly old stomping ground, preferring to tell the world about the wonders of Brighton.

As soon as the Allstars cameras had stopped rolling, Preston thanked the Oasis guitarist for his words of wisdom and jumped on a train to meet up with The Argus.

It is the last time he will set foot in Worthing for some time.

The bands phenomenal success at home their debut, Over The Counter Culture, was one of the best-selling albums of the summer has been mirrored abroad and they set off for a two-month tour of South-East Asia on Sunday.

Preston smiled as he took a breath of sea air and explained how Worthing was the inspiration for the bands latest single, Seaside.

He said: Seaside is about when I used to have a proper horrible office job.

I lived in Ambrose Court in Worthing. The place was really nice but I would get home with enough time to watch EastEnders and go to bed. I realised I was switching off for five days a week and cramming all the fun into two. Seasides message is a metaphor about trying to escape.

Living somewhere like Worthing means you are not spoilt for things to do. You have to use your imagination for things to fill your time.

People turn to being really naughty. I did that for a bit but I escaped and got the office job. My whole life has been a series of escapes.

The first port of call was the ASSEMBLY HALL in Stoke Abbott Road.

Preston said: This is where I saw The Kinks when I was nine.

Whenever Im walking through Worthing with someone who doesnt know the town, I brag about that concert.

I used to do acting and was in a film with Elizabeth Hurley when I was six. I had a bit of money for that but I was not allowed to spend unless I thought of something to spend it on. After The Kinks, I bought a guitar.

After seeing them, I got into the early icons of Britpop.

Next on the list was the street where he grew up, NAVARINO ROAD.

He said: Everyone had a kid about my age and we ran riot on the streets and got into mischief. There is a lot more of a community atmosphere in East Worthing its proper England there.

I was in The Sound of Music playing Kurt. I always enjoyed that kind of thing but I used to get the p*** ripped out of me for trying to be a thespian or a musician.

A tour of a town is not complete with out a visit to a greasy spoon.

Striding into THE GUILDBOURNE GRILL, in the Guildbourne Centre, Preston waved to the manager and ordered tea.

He said: James, our bass player, used to work here. We used to come here and do naughty things. I wont go into them in case he needs to work in here again.

My main memories are being incredibly bored and coming to get free food here. James used to make us these ridiculous coffee cocktails.

Prestons favourite pub is MACMILLANS, in Union Place.

He said: Its just the feel of this place. No one in here is under 50 and every Wednesday someone comes in and plays 1920s numbers on an accordion.

The drinks are cheap and on a quiz night they have a meat platter it gave me food poisoning once, but that all adds to it.

Worthing used to host fascist Oswald Mosleys notorious Blackshirt summer camps. Preston said the racist element was still apparent in the town.

He said: The farther south you go, the more you get these small seaside towns that are xenophobic. People get that cut off mentality.

My friends brothers were skinheads and had swastikas on their arms.

Seeing them led me to being politically aware and socially aware.

We used to make anti-fascist leaflets and post them through the doors of people who would not like it we were very organised.

The sedate pace of Worthing nurtured the singers contempt for cities.

He said: I used to spend all my money on drugs. There was lots of cocaine and I spent a grand on it one month. I cannot afford to do that. I realised it was rubbish, like a London lifestyle.

In this town, you are used to real life you dont get fooled by London cliches of everything being fast and exciting.

He said: The worst thing about Worthing is that narrow-minded attitude people have when they do not look outside the town. Worthing is a lovely place but there are other lovely places around the world.

The best thing is there are no pretensions and no falseness. Everyones really true and honest with themselves.

Last stop was his favourite record shop MUSIC MANIA, in West Buildings.

After buying an I love Worthing badge and promising to wear it on Top of the Pops, he said: This place is brilliant. Theyve got a really good selection of vinyl.

You can take a boy out of Worthing, but you cant take Worthing out of The Ordinary Boys...