THERE isn't long to go now before Christmas.

And the race is on in record stores to crown this year's Christmas Number One.

So who's the favourite in Huddersfield?

Members of the Sellers Brass Band, who were playing Carols in the town centre yesterday, backed Westlife.

However in Huddersfield's record stores, evidence suggests X Factor Winner Shayne Ward is destined to launch his professional pop career in spectacular style by claiming this year's festive top spot.

Singles are normally released on Mondays to allow a full week of sales before the new chart is published on Sundays.

However Shayne's debut single That's My Goal was only released yesterday.

That leaves him two full days of sales behind all the other new releases for this week, including Girls Aloud's See the Day and Eminem's When I'm Gone.

However, on the first two hours trading yesterday, when the X Factor single was released, the Huddersfield branch of MVC had already sold 22 of their initial 40-copy stock.

MVC manager Matt Odell said:

"That is a very promising start for Shayne Ward. I hope the current number one The JCB song by Nizlopi can hold on to the top spot, but it looks likely it will be the X Factor single."

A very similar picture was painted minutes later at HMV, who had sold 24 copies by 11am.

Chris Simmons, of HMV, said: "The JCB song has sold twice as many on the weekly total, but seeing as That's My Goal has only been selling for two hours, it looks like a very hot contender."

A more dramatic story unfolded at Woolworths.

Manager Paul Jackson was alerted to the fact that all copies of Shayne's That's My Goal had gone from the shelf, but acted quickly by getting his staff to restock the shelf.

"Unbelievably, as it has only gone on sale halfway through the week, Shayne Ward's single has outsold its closest rival the JCB song by 4 to 1 on the week after just two hours."

So will it be a very Merry Christmas for Shayne and for the bookmakers, or will one of the outsiders steal Shayne's glory?

All will be revealed on Sunday, at 7pm.

It will be the first time the Christmas chart has been announced on Christmas Day since 1994 when East 17 made the top spot with Stay Another Day.

HMV predicted chart (odds of being Christmas Number 1 by William Hill)

1. Shayne Ward - That's My Goal (1/9).

2. Nizlopi - JCB Song (5/1).

3. Girls Aloud - See The Day (40/1).

4. Pussycat Dolls - Stick Wit U (50/1).

5. Pogues feat. Kirsty MacColl - Fairytale of New York (30/1).

6. Westlife with Diana Ross - When You Tell Me That You Love Me (25/1).

7. Crazy Frog - Jingle Bells/Can't Touch This (50/1).

8. Coldplay - Talk (50/1).

9. Eminem - When I'm Gone (50/1).

10. Robbie Williams - Advertising Space (50/1)