Wizzard, it's the Wombles

Mike Batt with the Wombles on parade

Two of the most famous Christmas singles have been spliced together to create a new song in time for the festive season.

Wizzard's 1973 hit I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday and 1974's Wombling Merry Christmas have spawned a new song which will fight it out for the number one spot with releases from Westlife and the Spice Girls.

Roy Wood of Wizzard, creators of one of the most popular Christmas songs

I Wish It Could Be A Wombling Merry Christmas Everyday is the brainchild of Roy Wood, of Wizzard, and Mike Batt, the man behind the Wombles' music releases.

Mike Batt, who has described the song as a "very silly record", told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that they would be hard-pressed to beat the Spice Girls or Westlife to the top of the charts.

"The old days of silly, holly, Wombley Christmas songs seem to be numbered.

"The problem with Christmas songs with holly on and mentioning Christmas is that radio stations won't play them until two weeks before Christmas.

"I am not blaming them; it's only natural."

He added: "But we are competing against Westlife, and boy bands and girl bands, who get a six to eight-week run up of air play.

"We have taken the two songs and made the silliest song ever by juggling the two bits together."

The Wombles was one of the most popular children's programmes of the 1970s and the furry creatures lived in a burrow on Wimbledon common.

The programme spawned 10 hit singles with the theme tune to the programme, The Wombling Song, reaching number four in the charts in 1974.

The Wombles' Christmas song reached number two in the same year.

Wizzard also enjoyed a number four placing with its famous festive song, much played in pubs and shopping centres at Christmas.

The song has been released three times in the last 26 years.