Leigh 'underdogs' the Lottery Winners score first ever UK number one album

The latest album from Leigh’s The Lottery Winners has debuted at number one on the official UK charts, in what has been described by the band as the ‘single greatest achievement of our lives’.

The band’s latest album Anxiety Replacement Therapy, which features collaborations with Shaun Ryder and Boy George, is their first to reach the UK top ten and is also the fourth biggest selling first week album of the year so far.

They beat out fierce competition from the likes of Jessie Ware, Nine and The National by selling more than 22.2k chart units of the album.

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In a quest to reach the top of the charts, the band - comprising frontman Thom Rylance, guitarist Rob Lally, bassist Katie Lloyd and drummer Joe Singleton - opened their own pop-up shop in Leigh where they sold copies of the album and performed during a Bank Holiday all-day party.

Speaking of the number one achievement, frontman Thom said: “This is the single greatest achievement of our lives. We’re so grateful to all of our amazing fans for supporting us and making this happen.

“I want to thank our tiny team who have moved mountains against all of the odds. This is one for the underdogs. We’ve made it.”

Speaking about the album title and its meaning, he added: “Each of the albums in my collection are a self-help tape for me. If I listen to Paul Simon’s Graceland, it’s because I know it’ll put me in a good mood. If I play The Queen Is Dead by The Smiths, it’s because I want to embrace feeling sad.

“We wanted to present ‘Anxiety Replacement Therapy’ as a self-help tape for anyone playing it.”

They will be performing at Live at Leeds In The Park on May 27 and Neighbourhood Weekender in Warrington on