A CHOIR singer who beat John Lennon in the race to the Christmas number one in 1980 is bidding for a second shot at stardom.
Eileen Brown, 40, from Northwood, is reforming St Winifred's Primary School Choir with 13 original members to launch a 2009 version of There's No One Quite Like Grandma.
The single knocked the former Beatle's song, (Just Like) Starting Over, off the top spot on December 27, 1980.
This Christmas, the choir will go head to head with rivals including Robbie Williams and the much anticipated X-Factor winners.
Ms Brown and her fellow classmates from the school, in Stockport, will perform as the Innocent Big Knit Choir to raise money for Help the Aged and Age Concern.
She said: "We’re really excited to be going up against so many big names in the music industry for Christmas number one. It would be a dream to see the Innocent Big Knit Choir take the top spot against the celebrities releasing singles this Christmas."
The choir has already attracted star backing including actress June Whitfield, who has a cameo in the video for the single, and record producer
Pete Waterman, who said: "The charity single celebrates grandmas everywhere and we want people to dig deep to get this song to number one to raise as much money as possible for Age Concern and Help the Aged. It would also be great if it gave my old mate Simon Cowell’s X-Factor single a run for its money in the Christmas chart stakes."
The single is being released as part of the Innocent Big Knit Campaign, which aims to encourage healthy living and eating in older people. The initiative was set up following research that one in 10 people over 65 are malnourished, and has so far raised more than £600,000 for Age Concern and Help the Aged.
There's No One Quite Like Grandma can be downloaded from iTunes for 79p, with 42p going to Age Concern and Help the Aged.
To see Eileen in the music video and behind the scenes footage, visit www.innocentdrinks.co.uk/bigknitchoir .
