Chart-busting Kimberley Walsh's chances of getting the Christmas Number One look such a dead cert that bookies are refusing to take any more bets.

Mid-week figures showed that Girls Aloud's Sound Of The Underground was selling fast - and the girl band was 8,000 sales ahead of pop rivals boy band One True Voice.

Bookies across the country suspended all bets on who would reach that ultimate No1 spot in the Christmas charts on Wednesday, believing that Kimberley and co had it in the bag.

Bradford bookie Andy Taylor, pictured, of John Wood, Westgate, said: "I know it's Christmas but we don't want to be giving money away! As soon as it looked a dead cert we suspended any more bets. It's the same round the country.

"Bradford's definitely been behind Kimberley - they've all been backing the girls but there haven't been so many supporting the boys."

Looking far less likely is Bradford's chance of having a white Christmas - but at least bets are still on.

Inside information from a PA Weather spokesman has revealed we'll all be left dreaming of a white Christmas rather than getting it for real this year.

She said: "It's not looking good for a white Christmas at all. We can be pretty confident that there won't be any snow. It's actually getting warmer with some wet and blustery weather on the way - especially on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day night."

So far the odds for snow falling on the Telegraph & Argus roof on Christmas Day are 4/1 and all that's needed is one solitary snowflake.

Last year about 1cm of snow fell on the city centre rooftop, which left John Wood's 12 bookies across the city shivering when they had to pay out a huge but undisclosed sum of winnings.

"Put it like this, we almost had to cancel our winter holidays," said Mr Taylor, who added: "I don't think we'll have to worry about that this year though."