A PETERSFIELD mother is hoping for a Christmas number one hit in the singles chart.

Melanie Legg, of Heathfield Road, was working in The Square Brewery when she met her husband-to-be, who is now a sergeant at the Royal Marines commando base in Chivenor, Devon.

When they moved there about a year ago, Melanie (34) joined the Chivenor Military Wives Choir.

Now they have released a version of The Proclaimers song 500 miles, to raise money for the Walking Home for Christmas campaign, which is being run by Services charity Walking With The Wounded.

Melanie used to be a member of Petersfield Youth Theatre, and has always enjoyed singing.

The mother to two-year-old Joe said: “I enjoy singing in the shower, but this is the first proper choir I have been in. I’m not very experienced, so it was a surprise being one of only two soloists.”

It was recorded in the same London studio which Adele used to record her recent album, and for the wives it was a long day.

Melanie, who is spending Christmas in Petersfield with her mum Christine, said: “We left Chivenor at about 5.30am, and the solos were recorded at about 7.30pm. It was a long day, with lots of takes and different versions.

“It was full on, so there wasn’t time to be nervous.”

Melanie’s was one of six solos recorded, and producer Jim Hawkins was so impressed he chose it to open the track for the choir, which formed in 2011.

They shot to fame the same year after broadcaster and choirmaster Gareth Malone spent nine months coaching them for the BBC series, The Choir: Military Wives.

It culminated in the Christmas number one song, Wherever You Are.

Melanie, a former pupil at Portsmouth High School, said: “It would be great to have a Christmas number one for such a good cause.”

Proceeds from the sales of the song will go to The Military Wives Choirs Foundation and the charity Walking With The Wounded.