Florin Street band hopes for Christmas Number 1

Could this year's chart-topping Christmas number one come from Shropshire? That is the question on the lips of one performer who took to Ironbridge to record his latest music video.

Leigh Haggerwood and his group, the Florin Street Band, said he was hoping to top the festive charts.

He will be up against stiff competition after X Factor's winner Matt Cardle has announced he is also chasing the coveted Christmas number one spot.

Leigh and his band took to the old streets of Blists Hill Victorian Town in Ironbridge to record the video for his latest single, My Favourite Time of Year.

Having watched the video being made, a spokesman for the museum said the band was set to take the music industry by storm in the race to reach the number one spot.

"This is a heart warming song with strong melodies and a style that echoes classic Christmas carols and evokes the festive tradition," he said.

"My Favourite Time of Year is the most ambitious, independently produced Christmas release in decades."

Should the band reach the number one spot they will be joining the likes of The Beatles, who had four festive number ones, Tom Jones, Michael Jackson and even Rolf Harris.

However, pundits have said that the man to beat is Matt Cardle after four out of the last five Christmas number ones have been taken by the winner of talent show The X Factor.

The only other musicians to have three or more consecutive number ones over the festive season were The Beatles and the Spice Girls.