Children in Need: Gareth Malone's All Star Choir single 'Wake Me Up' tops UK top 40

The group beat off competition from Ed Sheeran, One Direction, Meghan Trainor and Tom Odell's popular John Lewis track

Gareth Malone's All Star Choir who will sing the official Children in Need single (BBC)

Gareth Malone’s all-star Children in Need charity single has topped the UK singles chart.

The new choral version of Avicii’s “Wake Me Up” went straight to number one when it was released on Monday.

The choir, which includes Alison Steadman, Linda Robson, Mel Giedroyc, Fabrice Muamba and Jo Brand, features a number of untrained voices including children from various music projects across the UK who have been supported by BBC Children in Need.

The track has racked up a combined chart sales tally of over 120,000 in the last seven days, as well as being the most physically purchased single of the week.

The group beat off competition from Ed Sheeran, One Direction, Meghan Trainor, Tom Odell's popular John Lewis track and new entries from Sam Smith, The Veronicas and Kendrick Lamar.

Malone said: “When we started singing, getting a number number one seemed an impossible dream, so to see this group of unlikely choristers at the top of the charts today is amazing. I'm so grateful to the British public for getting behind it. It's wonderful that so many children helped too, by being on the record.”

The track is the choir master’s third chart-topper following the success of “Wherever You Are” by The Military Wives which took the top spot at Christmas in 2011, and the official Diamond Jubilee single “Sing” by Gary Barlow in 2012.