A boys’ choir is hoping for an extra special Christmas present of a number 1 hit as they release a special album.

Libera have taken the classical world by storm and are hoping to once again climb the Christmas charts with their latest album.

The choir, made up of 24 boys aged seven to 16 from south London, formed in 1999.

They began in the church hall of St Phillip's in Norbury, which has had a long choral tradition, and sang under the name St Phillip's Choir.

Since then they have performed across the globe and in front of dignitaries such as George W Bush and the Pope and celebrities such as Robert DeNiro, Steve Martin and Cameron Diaz.

Steve Philipp, Libera manager, said: “Libera has become something of a local institution in south London, but we’ve also got fans all over the world, particularly in the US and the Far East.

“The boys get the pop star treatment when they perform over there. This autumn we’re off on tour to the Philippines during half term, performing at Southwark Cathedral and releasing the new album with EMI so we’re as busy as ever.”

Choir member Kavana Crossley said: “I’ve got some brilliant friends in Libera as we spend so much time together at rehearsals in Norbury, travelling and performing all over the world. My best experience was singing in the Yankee Stadium in New York. It was the first big thing I did when I was eight.”

Fellow choir member Henry Barrington added: "It was funny recording the Christmas songs in the middle of summer, in fact it really was because we went outside in the breaks and messed around in the sun.

"And then we had some photographs taken for the album cover. We had all our white robes on, but it was in the middle of summer so there was no snow."

The Christmas Album features classic Christmas carols such as Once in Royal David’s City, Joy to the World, and The First Noel, and is released on November 21.