Male voice choir hits the charts

The average age of choir members is 66

A male voice choir is rubbing shoulders with the likes of Oasis and The Beatles in the album charts.

Froncysyllte Male Voice Choir, based near Llangollen, Denbighshire, saw its debut CD Voices of the Valley break into the charts at number 13.

It is also second in the classical charts after selling 37,000 copies.

The 60-year-old choir was signed to a major label after being spotted at a wedding by Daniel Glatman, manager of boy band Blue.

The choir, with an average age of 66, outsold Justin Timberlake and Robbie Williams and its CD went gold within three days of being on sale.

It is the next highest entry behind the major releases by Oasis, The Beatles, U2 and Westlife, whose pre-Christmas "blockbuster" albums all went on sale last week.

The choir competed in this year's Eisteddfod

Chairman Dave Jones, 57, whose father was in the choir before him, said: "It's wonderful - you have to pinch yourself.

"We've been lucky we've had a lot of people pulling for us and working hard for us, we're just very flattered."

Mr Jones added: "It might sound a bit corny but we'd like to think there's a new market out there and that we're ambassadors for the male voice choir movement."

A leading British movie producer has also optioned the rights to a film.

The choir has been dubbed "the world's oldest boy band" - with a combined age of 3,974 - and has four original members from when it was formed in 1947 by coalminers.

Its recent publicity has sparked interest from would-be new members but Mr Jones said the choir wanted people "for the right reasons".

It is also booked for TV slots on Parkinson's Christmas Show, Paul O'Grady's early evening show and will also accompany opera legend Jose Carreras at the Royal Albert Hall next month.

Asked if there was any danger of the choir adopting a rock-and-roll lifestyle, Mr Jones replied: "My wife wouldn't let me! But we're enjoying the journey."