Stereophonics single hits No.1

Kelly played a solo set at the tsunami relief gig in Cardiff

Welsh rockers Stereophonics have gone straight to the top of the charts with their new single Dakota - knocking rapper Nelly off the top spot.

The band - from the village of Cwmaman in Aberdare, south Wales - had their last major hit, Handbags & Gladrags, in 2001.

Their latest single is taken from the forthcoming album, Language, Sex, Violence, Other.

Stereophonics will be hoping the album - out on 14 March - will be their third

number one in the UK.

The band have had a turbulent past few years, since sacking drummer Stuart Cable. Cable and lead singer Kelly Jones had been friends since childhood.

Former Black Crowes drummer Steve Gorman stepped in for around 100 live performances, until the band recruited Javier Weyler. Bassist Richard Jones completes the line-up.

Kelly Jones was recently back in Wales to give a rare solo performance at the tsunami relief concert at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.

The band was touring in France at the time, but their frontman agreed to fly in especially for the fundraising gig, accompanied by nothing more than an electric guitar.