X Factor winner James Arthur tops charts with 'Impossible'

James Arthur's new single 'Impossible'

X Factor winner James Arthur proved nothing is impossible when his debut single rocketed to the top of the charts.

The ITV reality show has seen a slump in viewers this year but it did not stop Impossible becoming the fastest selling single of the year so far, with 490,000 copies, according to the Official Chart Company.

The sales make it the fastest-selling X Factor track since Alexandra Burke's 2008 hit Hallelujah.

Speaking to OfficialCharts.com, Arthur said: "To everyone from home and around Britain who bought the single, thank you very, very much. You've made my dreams come true."

"The fact that it was in aid of Together For Short Lives, which is a great cause and a great charity, I think that really helped.

"My Number 1 Award is going to go on my mantelpiece and I'll probably kiss it for two weeks solid every time I pass it!"

It remains to be seen whether the new entry can hold on to the top spot for a second week and become Christmas number one next Sunday.

A cover version of the Hollies' hit He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother by The Justice Collective - including Sir Paul McCartney and Robbie Williams - supporting the families of Liverpool supporters killed in the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, is favourite to be the festive chart-topper.

Arthur's single topped the chart despite Sunday's X Factor final pulling in two million fewer viewers than last year, with an average audience of 11.1 million compared with the 13.1 million who watched Little Mix win in 2011.

His version of Impossible had the best opening week's sales of recent X Factor winners, outperforming Little Mix's Cannonball by more than two to one (210,000).

It also outsold Matt Cardle's 2010 single When We Collide (439,000), Joe McElderry's 2009 eventual chart topper The Climb (451,000), Leon Jackson's 2007 hit When You Believe (276,000) and Steve Brookstein's Against All Odds (128,000).

The original version of Impossible, by Bajan singer Shontelle re-entered the chart at 22, having originally reached number nine in 2010.

The Voice judge Will.i.am was another new entry at two with Scream & Shout, featuring Britney Spears.

Last week's number one, Gabrielle Aplin's haunting cover of Frankie Goes to Hollywood's The Power of Love, slipped to four, with Bruno Mars' Mark Ronson-produced single Locked Out Of Heaven dropping from two to three.

In the album chart Mars' Unorthodox Jukebox became the fastest-selling solo album of 2012, with 136,000 sales in its first week in the Official Chart Company chart.

Last week's number one, Olly Murs's Right Place Right Time, falls to two while Michael Buble's Christmas album also falls one place to three.

Emeli Sande's Our Version Of Events is at four and Rod Stewart's Merry Christmas, Baby completes the top five.

PA