Alexandra Burke's record-breaking single Hallelujah is being rivalled in the Christmas charts by the Jeff Buckley version of the track.

Yesterday, the X Factor winner's debut single was confirmed as the fastest-selling download single ever across Europe and the version is seen as a dead cert to be Christmas number one.

But in a twist to the tale, renewed interest in the Leonard Cohen song has seen demand for Buckley's classic cover recorded in 1994, gather pace.

Buckley's version of the song has crept up into third position in the unofficial provisional midweek charts.

If it climbs higher, this could mean two versions of the same song sitting at number one and number two in the Christmas charts.

HMV's Gennaro Castaldo said: "Alexandra's cover of Hallelujah has to be a massive favourite for the Christmas number one - the track has already been downloaded over 150,000 times, and it remains hmv.com's fastest-ever seller.

"But it's been such a bizarre year that I always thought that there could be some kind of twist.

"And it looks as if this may come in the guise of Jeff Buckley's classic cover version of the same song.

"An internet and media campaign to get people to download it seems to be bearing fruit, and the track has suddenly climbed into the provisional midweek charts.

"It's now just behind Leona Lewis, at number three, and we suddenly have the very real prospect of two different covers of the same song occupying the number one and two slots in the Official UK charts.

"I don't think this has ever happened in UK charts history, and certainly not for Christmas."

Buckley died in a drowning accident in Memphis in May 1997 aged 30.

And this is not the first time Buckley's version has benefited from one of Simon Cowell's shows.

A similar knock-on download effect happened in the United States after Jason Castro performed Hallelujah on American Idol, with Buckley earning a posthumous number one in March.

Mr Castaldo continued: "Just when it looked like the X Factor had taken all the unpredictability out of Christmas, the charts are coming back to prove they're always capable of throwing up a surprise.

"Who knows? There could be an even bigger twist to come if the Jeff Buckley campaign gathers pace, although the idea of Alexandra not making it seems unthinkable - especially with the CD single release still to come.

"But you never know, it's been a strange year, and it would be one of the biggest upsets in UK chart history if the unthinkable happened, though it remains highly unlikely.

"Leonard Cohen must think Christmas has come early!"

The physical CD single of Burke's version of the song will be available in the shops from tomorrow.