Pub crooner busks in hope of number one

Gordon Haskell has made a last-gasp push for a Christmas number one - by busking in central London.

But Haskell, who has just signed a lucrative record deal reportedly worth £2.4m, raised less than £1 for his efforts.

Bemused shoppers looked on as the grey-haired singer performed his single How Wonderful You Are in front of HMV's flagship store in Oxford Street.

Haskell says he hopes the stunt will help him leapfrog Robbie Williams whose duet with Nicole Kidman, Somethin' Stupid is favourite to hit the top spot when the Christmas pop charts are announced.

Wearing old blue jeans and a battered overcoat he looked a typical busker as he strummed his guitar and sang the song which he wrote as he walked around a supermarket with his mother.

"I've done a bit of this in the past so I feel I know what I'm doing," he said. I reckon I can make number one. Who knows?"

Shoppers seemed less confident, giving him only 84p for his hard work.

"Maybe I should quit while I'm ahead," Haskell joked as he counted the cash. "Still, it's enough for a cup of tea."

He did succeed in winning one new fan, Peter Adonri, who took a break from his Christmas shopping to watch the performance. "It's wonderful. I'm definitely going to buy the single," he said.

Haskell, who formerly played with Sixties band King Crimson, was a few thousand sales behind Williams at the midweek stage. But chart expert Gennaro Castaldo of HMV says it is too close to call.