Emeli Sandé's debut album has been named the top selling album of the year so far in the UK.

As previously reported, it had been suggested that the Scottish singer was close to toppling Adele's chart behemoth '21' on the list of highest-selling records.

The Official Charts Company have confirmed today (August 31) that Sandé has now overtaken Adele as the top selling album of 2012 in the UK.

It has sold 659,800 copies since its release in February and Official Charts Company's managing director Martin Talbot said that a new "British female singing star" has been born. He said:

"At a time when it is as hard as ever for new artists to break through, it is fantastic that Emeli Sandé now has the official biggest selling album of 2012 so far. It is also apt that Emeli (who won the BRITs Critics' Choice Award in February) should take over from the inaugural BRITs Critics' Choice Award winner, Adele. Yet another British female singing star has been born!"

Sande has some way to go to beat the overall sales figures of '21', however, with the album selling a massive 4.4m copies in the UK so far - making it the fifth highest selling album ever in the country.