Westlife beat Beatles, Oasis in chart battle

Westlife have beaten the Beatles, Oasis and U2 in a battle to the top of the album chart.

The Irish boy band's The Love Album took the position in a week which also saw new releases from Oasis, the Beatles and U2.

Oasis, whose best-of Stop The Clocks had been expected by many to win, took second place while the Beatles' re-workings compilation Love was at three, and 18 Singles, from U2, was fourth.

Westlife's campaign received support earlier in the week from Sir Elton John, who told The Sun he was angry at Oasis. “I’m so glad Westlife are ahead of Oasis," he raged. "[Noel Gallagher's] an absolute tosser and he looks like Parker from Thunderbirds.

"They don’t deserve to be number one. It’s not a greatest hits album because they’ve left three of their biggest hits off it.”