U2 have revealed their joy at landing an Oscar nomination.

Their tune 'Ordinary Love' - used in the film Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom - is one of five tracks up for the Academy Awards' Best Original Song gong.

Speaking in a statement, the Irish group admitted that they were taken aback by the nomination. They said:

"We are humbled and honoured that 'Ordinary Love' has been nominated for an Oscar. It was a privilege to be asked to write a song for this extraordinary film, Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom, and to help tell this extraordinary love story. We have been working for this great man since we were teenagers and for our song to be recognised in this way by the Academy is beyond our wildest teenage dreams."

U2 will go up against Pharrell's 'Happy' and Karen O's 'The Moon Song' in the Oscar battle. 'Alone Yet Not Alone', which was written by Bruce Broughton, and 'Let It Go' from Frozen are also up.

The rock band, however, will go in favourites after landing the Golden Globe equivalent earlier this month.