Posh Spice has revealed she is driving herself into the ground in her desperate bid to have a solo No.1 hit. At the end of yet another gruelling day signing records, she claimed she is "exhausted" and has been close to "breaking point". Victoria Beckham is in the middle of a frantic promotional tour around Europe, taking her from Ibiza to London, Oldham and the Midlands, and finally to Glasgow on Friday as she races to hit the No.1 spot with her first solo single, Out Of Your Mind. Victoria has found being a pop star isn't all about glamour.

There's more to it than choosing a different outfit every day or a new hairstyle for every city. She's got her work cut out to oust rivals such as fellow Spice Girl Mel C and the much-hyped Spiller's GrooveJet. Victoria said:

"The other day I came in and I was upset. I went home and said to my mum: 'Look, I don't know how much more of this I can take. I'm writing the Spice Girls album, my own album, working with the Truesteppers ... I'm just absolutely exhausted. I'm trying to bring up a little boy and I'm getting all this. I'm not saying there shouldn't be critics because everyone is entitled to their opinion and I can take criticism. But it got to the stage where people were being downright bitchy, nasty and really personal. It does upset me. I'm only human. I'm very ambitious. This could have been a breaking point career-wise."

Victoria also claimed she hasn't taken husband David Beckham to her record signings to get more publicity. She said:

"When we did the signing in London earlier this week, I wasn't expecting many people to turn up. I really wasn't. So much so, I took along my family. I thought, if nothing else, they can queue up and buy a record and I can sign it. I don't feel I have to prove myself any more. If people don't think I can sing, then they shouldn't buy my music. I'm working so hard and bringing up a baby and really having a go at it. And I sometimes wonder why people have to be so negative. I do get tired. I work a lot during the day and then come home and I'm up until late at night with Brooklyn. Thankfully, I think I thrive on the stress and I enjoy being busy."

Victoria has been forced to go all out to promote Out Of Your Mind, which has been recorded with Truesteppers and Dane Bowers, in an attempt to outsell rival releases. It is selling just 1500 copies more than Spiller's Groove Jet (If This Ain't Love) with Spice pal Mel C also contending for Sunday's top spot. But last night, Victoria vowed to battle on bravely and said she was desperate to come to Scotland on Friday to meet her Scottish fans. She and Dane have scheduled an in-store appearance at one of Glasgow's Virgin Megastores at noon, where they will sign copies of the CD. And she denied the whirlwind promotional tour of the UK is a desperate attempt to prevent the single being a flop. Victoria said:

"When I first got involved in the project, people expected me not to do any promotion. But I was so involved with the song which I wrote with Dane - we're so passionate about it - that I decided to promote this properly. It's very important to me and it's the best thing I've done. We worked hard on the routines and costumes and shows. It's very sleek and professional. I could have damaged my solo career before it really got off to a start, but it has gone brilliantly. I was aware of how important this was. If it had all gone really wrong, I don't think I would have been given another chance. I would have got so ripped to bits about it. That's what made me work so hard. That's why, for example, I spent two weeks in a studio learning a dance routine. The response has been amazing. When I saw the all the people who turned up for the signings this week, my mum said: 'That's why you do it'. And she's right, the reason I carry on is because I love doing it so much. A couple of weeks ago I said I wanted to do a signing in Scotland because it's not often we get the chance to do these things, and actually see the people who buy our records face to face. I do appreciate it so much more being on my own. As far as I'm concerned, I'm flattered by whoever buys this record. I am not expecting to get a No.1 at all. The competition is really high and there are some great songs out there. If it happened, it would be amazing. But I'm not even thinking that."

She also hit out at the thug football fans who taunt her husband, often with crude references to Victoria and even their son Brooklyn. Victoria said:

"What is the mentality of these people? What do they come to football for."

But she insists Brooklyn is growing up in a happy environment despite the pressure-cooker lifestyle. She said:

"We were coming out of the signing in Oldham and there were 10,000 people there. People were banging on the car, but Brooklyn was waving bye-bye to everyone. It was really funny. Usually, if I'm with the Spice Girls, I think all the crowds are there to see Emma or Melanie, but for the first time people are there to see me and it's really flattering. That's why we're so excited about Friday."