Madonna claims double at top of British charts

Pop diva Madonna took the number one spot in both the British single and album charts for the fourth time in her career, the Official UK Charts Company said today.

Madonna's new long player Hard Candy - her 11th studio album - went straight to number one - while 4 Minutes, a collaboration with Justin Timberlake, was the number one selling single for a third week running.

No other female solo artist has had simultaneous number ones more than once, the Official UK Charts Company said.

Madonna's album success ensured Portishead and Third - the band's first studio release in 11 years - had to be content with number two, while Welsh singer Duffy and Rockferry climbed one to three.

Last week's number one, The Age of the Understatement by the Last Shadow Puppets, a side project by two members of the Arctic Monkeys and The Rascals, slipped to four, with Sam Sparro's eponymous album another new entry at five.

There was a fourth new entry in the album charts with The Platters and The Very Best Of coming in at nine.

The singles chart was more moribund and with no new entries, Pendulum and Propane Nightmares was the biggest climber in the top 10, rising seven to nine.

Sparro and Black and Gold was a non-mover at two, while Wiley's Wearing My Rolex rose one to three.