Alex Parks: Battling cover versions by West Life and Girls Aloud

Parks, 19, whose self-penned single Maybe That's What it Takes was released on Monday, is neck and neck with Jump (for your love) by Girls Aloud, but about 6,000 behind Westlife's Mandy.

Genarro Castaldo of HMV, said: "There is not much in it between Alex and Girls Aloud.

"It's something that could easily change by the end of the week, but Westlife have a very healthy lead for the start of the week."

Parks, from Mount Hawke near Truro, won Fame Academy last month and with it got a �1m record contract, a luxury flat in London and a sports car.

Maybe That's What it Takes was written in the academy.

Parks will be signing copies of her album, Introduction, at the HMV store in Truro on Sunday.