Wimbledon's Wombles take on X Factor for No.1

AFC Wimbledon's mascot Haydon the Womble has launched a campaign to get The Wombles to Number One for Christmas - taking on the winner of X Factor.

Haydon, with support from Mike Batt, the singer snd songwriter behind The Wombles, is running a Facebook campaign - and it seems to be catching the imagination of the nation.

The odds for the Wombles to top the charts have dropped from 50/1 to 7/1, according to bookies William Hill, proving the Wombles of Wimbledon Common could put our town on the map this Christmas.

The song Wombling Merry Christmas is up against the winner of X Factor, which will be decided next weekend.

Other contenders are Nirvana with Smells Like Teen Spirit, the cast from The Only Way Is Essex and the Military Wives' Choir with their song Wherever You Are.

"I'd love for us to have a proper Christmas family song in the vein of Mr Blobby or Bob the Builder," said Haydon.

"We've had a tough year with the economy and the riots and I think we need some fluffiness in our lives, a fun song. The Wombles fit the bill perfectly.

"I'd love to introduce the Wombles to a new generation of children.

"Christmas is all about family and kids and I think we should have a song for them, not some over produced pop song from X Factor."

In 2009, an anti-X Factor campaign found success with Rage Against The Machine's Killing In The Name, which beat that year's winner Joe McElderry to the top spot.

This year anti-X Factor contenders will face either Little Mix, Marcus Collins or Amelia Lily, the winner will be decided this weekend.

The Wombles rose to fame in the 1970s with their successful TV series. The books have recently be re-released and the furry characters even performed at Glastonbury this year.

Asking Haydon what The Wombles thought of their main rivals from Simon Cowell's X Factor, he said ringleader Uncle Bulgaria was not intimidated. He said: "Never mind the X Factor, let's see what people think of The W Factor. It should appeal to the common people."

The tune Wombling Merry Christmas is available on pre-order from HMV or itunes. It will be released on December 11.