Wogan sings Bing to drum up cash

Sir Terry recorded the track with Jones at Abbey Road studios

Sir Terry Wogan and Aled Jones are to release a version of Bing Crosby and David Bowie hit Little Drummer Boy/Peace On Earth for Christmas.

The single will be released on 8 December in aid of Children in Need.

The track was originally recorded for Bandaged: With A Little Help From My Friends, an album featuring the vocal talents of BBC Radio 2 personalities.

"Aled Jones sings like the canary that he is," said Sir Terry, who had a hit in 1978 with Floral Dance.

"But listeners may also detect my croaking in the background and wonder if it's a rumbling of the stomach."

'Surreal'

Crosby recorded his duet with Bowie for a TV special filmed shortly before his death in October 1977.

Former boy soprano Jones, who had a hit himself in 1985 with Walking in the Air, said it had been "fantastically surreal" to record the song with Sir Terry at Abbey Road studios in London.

"I don't know if this wave of support will take us all the way to Top of the Pops," he said, referring to the extensive airplay the song has received on Chris Evans' Radio 2 show.

"But we're having a lot of fun helping raise money for Children in Need."

This year's Children in Need broadcast raised almost £21m on the night for worthy causes.

Organisers expect the annual fundraiser to beat the £37m raised last year once all the money is collected.