The tour manager of the band at the top of the Christmas charts, Girls Aloud, has been killed in a road crash.

John McMahon died when the vehicle he was driving crashed near Stafford on Christmas Day.

A Staffordshire Police spokesman said there were no other vehicles involved in the incident, which happened on the A5013 near junction 14 of the M6.

He was unable to give details of how the crash happened.

'Tragic loss'

Mr McMahon, who lived in Staffordshire, was one of the team that helped propel the quintet to number one in the charts with their debut single.

He started working with Girls Aloud after viewers voted five successful female finalists from television talent show Popstars: The Rivals into the band.

They successfully fought it out for the Christmas number one spot with boy band One True Voice, the other group selected from the ITV1 programme.

In a statement, Girls Aloud's record label Polydor said: "On behalf of the girls and Polydor, we are truly shocked and upset by the tragic loss of someone we all adored and loved.

"Our thoughts are with John's family."