SINGERS from a parish choir in Wallingford are rubbing shoulders with the Foo Fighters and Mumford and Sons in the pop charts.

Wallingford Parish Church Choir’s CD of heart-warming hymns entered the classical charts at number two following its release last month.

But healthy sales of The Hymns Album CD also pushed the church choir into the official UK top 40 albums chart.

Only the band of the Coldsteam Guards are keeping the choir off the top spot in the classical chart, and choir members are hoping they will still be able to reach number one.

The choir beat competition last year from across the UK to be picked by Universal Music to record The Hymns Album, which was released on April 18.

Sue Ledger, 52, director of music and a former GP, said: “Last week we were at number 39 in the official UK Top 40 albums chart between Foo Fighters and Mumford and Sons.

“This is based on total CD sales, although we haven’t been able to find out precisely how many CDs have been sold so far. I think it shows how popular the album is if it has made the pop charts as well as the classical charts.”

Choir members are hoping Decca Records will ask them to record two more albums, an option in their contract.

Ms Ledger added: “It’s tremendously exciting to be at number two in the Classical Artists Album Chart, and choir members are thrilled.

“People all over the world are now able to buy the CD online. We have received emails and cards from across the country saying how touched they are to hear us sing the hymns.”

An agreed amount of royalties from sales of the album will go to the Parochial Church Council benefiting St Mary le More and St Leonard’s churches.

Ms Ledger and other choir members will be signing copies of the CD on Saturday in St Mary’s Church between 10.30am and noon.