Susan Boyle to smash records with 'one of fastest-selling albums of decade'

Unlikely singing sensation Susan Boyle has joined the likes of Arctic Monkeys, Coldplay and Leona Lewis with one of the fastest-selling albums of the decade, figures showed today.

The 48-year-old Britain's Got Talent runner-up shifted more than 130,000 copies of her debut album as it went on sale yesterday.

Experts at the Official Charts Company said it is now set to become one of the fastest sellers of the decade.

I Dreamed A Dream looks to be on track to vie for the accolade of having this year's biggest first week sale, a record held by JLS for their self-titled which sold over 230,000 copies earlier this month.

The album features her version of I Dreamed A Dream from Les Miserables which catapulted her to fame when she performed the song on Britain's Got Talent which left judges agog at her voice.

It also includes the standard Cry Me A River, as well as covers of Madonna's You'll See and The Monkees' Daydream Believer.

Boyle's album last week achieved the largest ever pre-order for online retailer Amazon.

She said: "It was my greatest ambition to release an album and I have finally achieved it. There is happiness out there for everyone who dares to dream."

Boyle launched her album with a performance on The X Factor on Sunday during which she sang her version of The Rolling Stones song Wild Horses