Sir Paul McCartney is heading for the Christmas top spot on the albums chart with McCartney III, according to midweek data from the Official Charts Company.

The record is the concluding part of a trilogy which began in 1970 with McCartney and was followed up 10 years later by McCartney II.

In the first 72 hours of the week, McCartney III notched up chart sales of almost 25,000 putting it on course to become the Beatles legend's first solo number one since 1989's Flowers in the Dirt.

Last week's chart-topper, surprise new Taylor Swift album Evermore, is down to three in the midweeks, while Michael Ball and Alfie Boe's Together at Christmas is up to two.

A re-release of Eminem's Music To Be Murdered By, which hit number one in January, complete with a deluxe B-side is currently tracking at six.

The winner of the race for the number one album and single will be announced on Christmas Day.