Leona track leaked online

Music mogul Simon Cowell has alerted police after computers belonging to his record company Syco – part of Sony BMG – were hacked into, and an early version of Leona Lewis' hotly-anticipated collaboration with Justin Timberlake appeared online.

The single, called ‘Don’t Let Me Down’, was being considered as the first release from Lewis' second album - a follow-up to her 2007 smash hit ‘Spirit’.

A record company representative said: “Syco are working alongside the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, the British Phonographic Industry, the police and investigators in this and they are making fast progress.

“We will certainly look to bring charges against those who are responsible. We cannot give any more details at this stage for operational seasons.”

The as-yet untitled LP – which is expected to include collaborations with Ne-Yo, will.i.am and Jay-Z - is due for release this November.

The news comes just weeks after fellow ‘X Factor’ winner Alexandra Burke fell victim to online hackers.

Unfinished tracks from her forthcoming debut album were leaked onto websites and illegal file-sharing websites which claimed they were completed.