Will Ferrell has likened himself to an older version of One Direction.

The actor made the quip in an interview with the Sunday Times as he recalled a scary incident he had in Seattle with a mob of fans.

Ferrell, who is perhaps best known for his role of Ron Burgundy in Anchorman, said: "We had gone out to dinner, and by the time we had left the restaurant, there was a mob of high school kids outside. There was a panel that blocked part of the window and they were jumping up trying to look."

The actor concluded: "I'm a 46-year-old version of One Direction. All five of them packed into one middle-aged guy."

One Direction meanwhile are on top of the world at the moment, with their latest album 'Midnight Memories' becoming the fastest selling album of 2013 in the UK.

It is also expected to crash land at the top spot in the US Billboard chart, which would give the group their third US No.1 record in a row.