The Military Wives Choir has marched to the top of the album chart with the debut record, the Official Charts Company said.

In My Dreams has earned the much coveted No 1 spot two weeks after it was released.

The title track of the album sees former X Factor hopeful Jonjo Kerr joining the ranks of the choir.

Kerr, from Chorley, is guest vocalist on the track In My Dreams. The song is a romantic duet, sung by a man who is parted from his lover overseas. He will be celebrating the achievement in Afghanistan where he is serving as a private in 3rd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment.

The wives topped the Christmas singles chart with their song Wherever You Are, which featured Samantha Stevenson of Perth, under the guidance of mentor Gareth Malone who put the group together for a BBC2 series.

A spokeswoman for the choir said the accomplishment had "particularly special meaning to many of them" on Mother's Day.

She said: "Most of the 247 choir members from five different military wives choirs have children of their own."

A donation of £1 per album will be put towards the charitable foundation for military wives' choirs.

Malone said: "These women's singing has lifted the spirits of the nation."

Nicky Clarke, co-founder of The Military Wives Choirs Foundation, said: "It is music which gives us strength, hope, courage, support, laughter and friendship, often when it is most needed."