URLLoader issue - AS3 to PHP and back again

[geniusprinting]

Hi,

I'm just testing out sending variables between AS3 and PHP.

The code below sends variables to PHP fine.

PHP returns a string "returnedfirstname=bob" just fine. I've tested that by using: trace(loader.data).

The problem is, I can't seem to create a variable in AS3 called returnedfirstname and populate it with "bob" from the loader.data:

var request:URLRequest = new URLRequest ("<someurl>");
request.method = URLRequestMethod.POST;
				
var variables:URLVariables = new URLVariables();
				
variables.firstName = "Bob";
request.data = variables;
				
var loader:URLLoader = new URLLoader (request);
loader.addEventListener(Event.COMPLETE, onComplete);
loader.dataFormat = URLLoaderDataFormat.VARIABLES;
loader.load(request);

function onComplete (event:Event):void {
	var returnedfirstname = loader.data.returnedfirstname;
	 trace (returnedfirstname);
};

trace(returnedfirstname) gives me nothing.