Boyle stays British number one

Susan Boyle stayed at the top of the British album charts Sunday for the second straight week as the success of her record-breaking debut album continued.

"I Dreamed A Dream" by the 48-year-old Scottish spinster became the best-selling debut in British chart history, shifting 410,000 copies in its first week on release.

Total sales in Britain have now passed the 700,000 mark and it is already the third-biggest seller of the year.

"Susan Boyle's debut was historic and we expect 'The Susan Boyle Effect' to be felt in the charts for a long time to come yet," said Martin Talbot, managing director of the Official UK Charts Company.

The singing sensation's record sold 701,000 copies in its first week in the United States - the best album debut there this year and the biggest selling debut work by a female artist in Nielsen SoundScan's tracking history, which began in 1991.

The frumpy church volunteer's soaring voice was discovered in April when she stunned judges on the "Britain's Got Talent" television show.

Irish boy band Westlife went straight in at number two with "Where We Are", while British group Take That's "The Greatest Day - The Circus Live" debuted at number three.

In the singles charts, charity record "The Official BBC Children in Need Medley" by comedian Peter Kay's Animated All Stars stayed at number one.

Barbadian singer Rihanna's song "Russian Roulette" climbed from number six to number two. Outlandish-dressing New York singer Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" rose two to number three.

Meanwhile festive favourites were on the rise, with Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You" and The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl with "Fairytale of New York" both climbing more than 20 places to 29 and 31 respectively.