The teen heart-throb, along with the rest of the ITV1 show's final 12 contestants, have recorded a cover version of Michael Jackson's You Are Not Alone, to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital.

And the track – in which Joe, from South Shields, takes lead vocals – is already sitting pretty at the top of the iTunes chart.

The CD is also flying out of the town's HMV store, in King Street.

Martin Weight, assistant manager at the store, said: "Compared to other CD singles, we have sold a fair few.

"We are expecting the single to be No 1 until the X Factor winner's single comes out – hopefully it will be Joe!

"It's obviously going well in this store because it's a charity single, but of course there is an extra excitement around it because it has Joe on.

"He's putting South Shields on the map, and he's generally well-supported by customers."

Joe, 18, takes the opening and closing lines of the song and his strong vocals can be heard throughout.

BBC Radio 1 presenter Fearne Cotton praised Joe's vocal on the track yesterday morning, while highlighting the fact that John and Edward have just four words on the track.

It is hoped the single, which went on sale yesterday, will repeat the success of last year's version of Mariah Carey's Hero, which raised more than £1m for the Help For Heroes charity.

The contestants visited Great Ormond Street Hospital in central London last month to meet some of the children who are receiving treatment there.

Join Joe McElderry's Official Shields Gazette Support Group on Facebook here.

Or send him a good luck message by clicking here.

To download a free colour poster of Joe McElderry, click here.