Williams CDs used to pave Chinese roads

More than a million unsold copies of Robbie Williams' last album are to be used to resurface roads in China.

Copies of the singer's 2006 LP Rudebox will also be crushed to make street lights as part of a recycling scheme by record label EMI.

Williams' 10th solo album sold just 500,000 copies in the UK, a quarter of the number shifted by 2002's Escapology.

A source said: "EMI often ships out unwanted CDs to China so they can be recycled. It's the ultimate kick in the teeth for him. He loved this album, but going by all the unsold CDs he was obviously the only one.

"Now there's no better use for them than to be crushed up and trampled on."

EMI's new boss Guy Hands yesterday denied that Williams is withholding his new album in protest over job cuts and other management issues at the company.

He said: "Robbie is still working in the studio, but he's working at a slower pace, which is appropriate to producing the best music he can, and that's something we at EMI support him in."