Niall Horan has topped the UK albums chart for the first time as a solo artist, the Official Charts Company has announced.

The former One Direction singer goes straight in at the summit with his second solo album, Heartbreak Weather, after a close battle with Lewis Capaldi's Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent, which charts at two, and country group The Shires' Good Years, new in at three.

The 26-year-old's debut release Flicker reached number three in 2017, while he hit the top spot four times as part of One Direction.

"To get to Number 1 in the UK is huge for me. I spent 14 months on this album and to have it received like this is just incredible for me," Horan told OfficialCharts.com.

"To get a Number 1 is so hard to do, so for the people to wrap their ears around my music in the way they have is also incredible."

In the singles chart, Saint Jhn's 'Roses' ends The Weeknd's five-week reign at number one with 'Blinding Lights', while Joel Corry is up two to five with 'Lonely'.