THE MILITARY WIVES' CHOIR – who won the hearts of the nation with their TV appearances alongside inspirational choirmaster Gareth Malone – has secured the number one selling album in the country.

Following on from their Christmas number one single Wherever You Are the choir has now topped the album charts with In My Dreams.

Choir member Anna Middleton, from Yealmpton, said: 'I really cannot believe we have made number one in the album charts.

'Somehow, to have the Christmas number one after the whirlwind events of November and December seems less surprising now. But to have sustained enough interest from the public for them to want to buy an album is really amazing.

'The album is made up of 11 songs from five different choirs – Plymouth and Chivenor, Catterick, Lympstone and Portsmouth.

'We hadn't even seen the music until the morning before we started recording.

'Each choir recorded their own songs at their own rehearsal venue. The recording sessions for Plymouth took place in St Katherine's Chapel at the Royal Citadel, and Decca sent down a mobile recording unit.

'Because we had so much to learn in such a short space of time, the recording was done in sections. Each section had a three hour block of time on four consecutive days and we pretty much learned the songs four bars at a time, or a phrase at a time.

'We sang each line maybe 10 times, until we got it right, and then recorded until they had three decent takes.

'It was quite strange as we never heard the songs all the way through or with the other parts, so it was very difficult to get a feel of how it was all sounding.

'It was extremely hard work – and not very satisfying at the time because we couldn't hear the end product.

'But Decca came down to visit us in the middle of February and played us the album a couple of weeks before it was released.

'There wasn't a dry eye in the church. The songs sound fantastic – and seem very appropriate choices.

'On behalf of everyone singing in the Plymouth Military Wives Choir, I would like to thank our amazing musical director, Rob Young, who stepped into Gareth Malone's shoes before Christmas and has more than filled them in the last few months; and to Jon Cohen who produced the album.

'I would also like to thank all the people locally who have supported us over the last few months – without you, we wouldn't be where we are now.'

There are now over 31 military wives choirs throughout the country and beyond – including two in Germany and one in Cyprus.

Anna said: 'This is in itself fantastic – the word is spreading and people are coming together and finding company and friendship through singing.

'I understand this goes for other choral groups nationwide as well – not just military wives.'

Plymouth Military Wives Choir performed at the Grand Military Gold Cup at Sandown Park in front of the Princess Royal two weeks ago, and have lots of forthcoming dates in the diary.

They include the Dartmouth Music Festival on May 11, Armed Forces Day in Plymouth, on June 30, and Music of the Night in Plymouth between July 16-20.