UK top five singles

1. Liberty X - Just A Little 2. Ronan Keating - If Tomorrow Never Comes 3. Enrique Iglesias - Escape 4. Fat Joe ft Ashanti - What's Luv 5. Holly Valance - Kiss Kiss Source: Official UK Charts Company

Their rising success comes in contrast to the troubles of Hear'Say, the show's winners, who have faded from the spotlight since the hype from the show died down.

Liberty X were "over the moon" after hearing confirmation of the news, saying they did not feel like runners-up any more.

"Never in their wildest dreams did they imagine themselves here," a spokesman for the band said.

It had been "a year of ups and downs", he said, but that they were currently at their peak.

The band's popularity has been rising since they were signed to Richard Branson's label V2, with their first two singles charting at numbers 14 and 5.

Name change

Just a Little had been delayed while the band were fighting a court battle with a London funk band called Liberty, who claimed the rights to the name.

The Popstars group lost, and so added the X in March.

UK top five albums

1. Moby - 18 2. Queen - Greatest Hits I, II and III 3. Enrique Iglesias - Escape 4. Mary J Blige - No More Dramas 5. Nickelback - Silver Side Up Source: Official UK Charts Company

Hear'Say had two number one singles after Popstars finished in spring 2001, but their recent releases have not fared so well.

Their last single went to number four, while their latest album only reached number 24 and they have been forced to postpone a forthcoming arena tour to let a new member, Johnny Shentall, settle in.

Elsewhere in the chart, Ronan Keating has been pushed down to number two and Enrique Iglesias followed up his massive hit Hero with Escape, a new entry at number three.

Other new entries include Pink's Don't Let Me Get Me at number six, A1's Make It Good at number 11 and Jessica Garlick's Eurovision entry, Come Back, at 13.

Moby's latest album, 18, is a new entry at the top of the album chart, while Queen's Greatest Hits I, II and III have come in at number two.