Little Mix hope to beat Ed Sheeran to number 1 as 3-piece after Jesy Nelson quit

They were left stunned by the news that their bandmate Jesy Nelson was quitting after nearly a decade together.

But after a tough couple of months, Little Mix are hoping to score their first No1 as a three-piece.

Sweet Melody, by remaining members Perrie Edwards, 27, Jade Thirwall, 28 and Leigh-Anne Pinnock, 29, climbed eight places to No1 in the midweek charts.

If it’s still top on Friday, it will be the band’s fifth UK No1 single.

Posting their first video without Jesy, 29, the trio said: “We can’t wait to see you all again very soon. PS, Sweet Melody is the perfect song for the top of your New Year playlists.”

But the girls have a fight on their hands to keep Ed Sheeran ’s sur­­prise Christmas release Afterglow at No2, as fewer than 2,000 copies ­separate the top five entries.

Sweet Melody is from Little Mix’s album Confetti, which was released just five weeks before Jesy ­ann­­ounced she was quitting – and the song still features her vocals.

Jesy confirmed she was permanently leaving the Brit Award-winning group last month, after taking a temporary break.

She said: “The truth is recently being in the band has really taken a toll on my mental health.

“I find the constant pressure of being in a girl group and living up to expectations very hard.

“There comes a time in life when we need to reinvest in taking care of ourselves rather than focusing on making other people happy, and I feel like now is the time.

“So after much consideration and with a heavy heart, I’m announcing I’m leaving Little Mix.”