COLDPLAY - MARTIN LAUNCHES MOCK SMEAR CAMPAIGN AGAINST CRAZY FROG

COLDPLAY star CHRIS MARTIN has launched a mock smear campaign against cartoon amphibian CRAZY FROG which beat his eagerly-awaited comeback single to the top of the UK singles charts with a mobile phone ringtone.

The British band's hopes of winning their first number one single in two years were shattered on Sunday (29MAY05), when the animated character captured the hearts of Britain's youth, propelling AXEL F to the top spot.

The controversial new number one is a remake of the BEVERLY HILLS COP movie theme tune by HAROLD FALTERMEYER - which reached number two in the UK 20 years ago - and has caused outrage, for its heavy advertising in ringtone commercials, featuring the frog singing to the track while driving a moped.

But the YELLOW singer is disgusted by the defeat, and has jokingly accused the frog of being an arrogant drug addict, to dissuade children from buying its novelty music.

He says, "We refer to him as 'That Little Frog'. We don't like the frog and it brings me out in hives. I go red.

"We saw him backstage at TOP OF THE POPS. He was doing all kinds of drugs. He was with all kinds of pond-life hanging around him. He has such a big entourage. Two toads are his bouncers, and a duck that follows him around filming things. He's annoying.

"The point is that little thing should have its legs cut off. I'd like to eat them in a restaurant."