An online bid to get IRON MAIDEN classic The Number Of The Beast to Christmas number one has led to the track becoming bookies’ third-favourite for the seasonal top spot.

The Facebook-led campaign has gathered nearly 20,000 followers since launching last month. Similar chart pushes have become the norm since Rage Against The Machine secured the coveted spot in 2009, beating the winner of Simon Cowell’s TV talent show The X Factor.

Now betting firm Betfred have cut Maiden’s odds to 10-1, bettered only by this year’s X Factor (1-2) winner and the Band Aid 30 charity single (11-4).

Organisers say: “Those involved in the various Christmas number one campaigns of the part, in particular the RATM one, will appreciate how much of a laugh it is. Well, we’re big Maiden fans – seeing them snatch the number one would be brilliant. From December 14 we’ll all be buying a digital download of The Number Of The Beast, to hopefully make it the Number One Of The Beast. Let’s do this!”

The track was originally released in 1982 and reached No.18 in the singles chart. Maiden’s album of the same name, the first to feature singer Bruce Dickinson, was their first to reach the top spot in the album chart.