However, as always throughout the year, 24-hours a day every day, there's a listening ear for those depressed or "feeling down", thanks to Samaritans volunteers.

And now the boys from Westlife are helping Samaritans get their message out with Shane Filan, Mark Feehily and Kian Egan having launched a new phone texting service which is currently being advertised on Ocean FM radio.

The service is simple to use. By texting SAMSO51500, the texter will immediately receive a message, as well as occasional messages throughout the year from Sligo Samaritans.

"We particularly want to get to young men," a Samaritans spokesperson told The Sligo Champion, adding that they now had young volunteers for young people out there to talk to. "The message this Christmas and New Year is 'nobody need be alone,'" the spokesman said.

He pointed out that now was really the worst time of year for some people. He cited examples which trigger loneliness such as when visitors depart and people are left on their own again, relationships may become strained or break up, thoughts turn to exams ahead and, of course, there's the looming credit card bills that will be dropped through the mail box in January.

Children are also returning to school after Christmas, creating huge pressure on parents, particularly single parents. And spare a thought for some parents who may not have seen or had access to their children at all during Christmas.

"From now until after St. Patrick's Day is a tough time," the Samaritans spokesperson pointed out. "The message is that we are here for anybody. And we have a lot of young volunteers now for young people out there to talk to."

Sligo Airport opened in the early hours of Christmas Eve to allow Westlife get home in time for the holiday period.

Following a special request the airport opened at 1 a.m. on Christmas Eve to allow a jet carrying Westlife members and Sligo natives, Shane Filan, Kian Egan and Mark Feehily to land. The 12 seater Citation 560 Ultra jet flew the band from Zurich to Dublin where they stopped briefly to let Nicky Byrne disembark before flying on to Sligo.

They flew in from Switzerland yesterday in a private jet for a four-week break.

The aircraft landed first at Dublin airport where Nicky Byrne got off to spend the festive season in the capital with his wife Georgina, the Taoiseach's daughter.

The rest of the lads flew on to Strandhill airport, Co Sligo, which opened specially for their arrival at 1.20am.

Shane Filan was first down the steps from the Cessna Citation 5, quickly followed by Mark Feehily with Kian Egan just yards behind.

Airport staff followed as they walked the 100 yards across the tarmac to the arrivals building where Shane was warmly greeted by his mum and dad, Mae and Peter.

"It's great to be home," he said as they hugged each other.

Within minutes they were driving him the six miles to his luxury home where his wife Gillian and five-month-old daughter Nicole were waiting.

Mark took a taxi home to his folks.

And Kian, who lives near the airport and was without actress girlfriend Jodi Albert, was met by his dad Kevin who had arrived with his son's own jeep.

The airport usually closes at 7.30pm.

But it was opened shortly after midnight especially for the Westlife homecoming.

A spokeswoman said: "Westlife are very good customers. We had a full crew on duty for the arrival as we would for any landing agreed outside normal operating hours." She added: "We're quite used to VIPs at Sligo airport now."

As well as Westlife the Conway Sisters and Tabby Callaghan are regulars at the airport. Westlife are celebrating two UK hits.

A BITTER row has flared over who wrote the Westlife hit 'You Raise Me Up'.

The song, sung by Brian Kennedy at George Best's funeral, was the band's 13th number one hit in Britain.

Songwriting credit on the record is given to Irish writer Brendan Graham and Norwegian composer Rolf Lovland.

But two brothers from Scandanavia claim they wrote the song which earned Westlife the accolade of ITV Record of the Year for an unprecedented fourth time.

Tommi and Karri Rinne claim they are the true authors of the tune, which they say they penned as a possible entry for the European Song Contest 10 years ago. Entitled Rakastakaa - meaning 'Don't Forget to Love' in their native Finnish - it was recorded at the Peer Music Studio in Stockholm but never entered for the annual televisual cringe-fest.

They claim the first they knew about it again was when they heard it on the radio two years ago performed by American singer Josh Groban. Now they say it forms the basis of Westlife's hit and are demanding their songwriting due.

Tommi told one newspaper yesterday he was flabbergasted it had been recorded again. "I was in complete shock," he said.

"I called my brother and we went to buy a copy. We could sing our original Finnish lyrics over the same tune. It is obviously the same song. We are furious and want to get credit where credit is due."

It is the second set of worrying news for the phenomenally successful band this week. HMV warned that Westlife's much anticipated domination of the British Christmas charts was under threat not only from the winner of X-Factor, but they could even be beaten into third place by an unknown duo from Warwickshire called Nizlopi. Their JCB song is an unlikely paen to the joys of riding an industrial digger and metaphor for a young boy's dream of crushing bullies.

Westlife were hoping their re-working of Diana Ross's 1991 hit 'When You Tell Me That You Love Me', released on Monday, would guarantee the top spot.

After a brief interlude with their Rat Pack album of classic songs sung in the style of Sinatra, ‘Face To Face’ is Westlife’s first collection of new songs since ‘Turnaround’ topped the charts in 2003.

"I think this album shows that Westlife are back in a big way. It’s got the best material we’ve ever released," says Shane Filan confidently. "At the time Turnaround seemed like one of our best albums - and this one feels even better."

A familiar blend of big ballads and mid-tempo tunes, balanced by the occasional up-tempo song, ‘Face To Face’ presents Westlife playing to their strengths – passionate vocals and memorable tunes.

It’s a straightforward formula that’s been winning hearts and ears since the dawn of popular music, from the doo-wop days of the Platters, through the timeless harmonies of the Drifters and Coasters, to the slick modern sounds of Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC, Take That and Boyzone. But no one’s done it with so much success as Westlife – 34 million album sales are testament to that!

Following four months’ holidays – the longest break of their entire career – the boys have returned to action sounding stronger, fresher and hungrier than ever.

"I think the break did us good," says Kian. "We still look at ourselves as the luckiest band in the world, but when you do something so long and so frequently, you’re bound to need time to recharge your batteries."

That freshness can be heard all over ‘Face To Face.’ The band have never sounded in better voice and they’ve rarely had a better choice of material on which to show it.

"We know we have to raise the bar each time we make an album and be bigger and better," acknowledges Shane, who recently became a father for the first time.

After seven years together, their seventh album finds them at the top of their game, and it’s a big game they play in, with six multi-platinum albums in the UK alone. Add to that the Brit Awards, MTV Award, 12 UK number ones; Westlife are amazingly one of the biggest brands on the planet.

Songwriting and production duties are equally divided between long-term collaborator Steve Mac and Swedish hit-makers The Location, returning to the Westlife fold after working on their first two albums (and for Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC among many others), with recording done in Ireland, Sweden and London over the summer months.

Passion is very much the key to the opening single ‘You Raise Me Up,’ Shane singing the hymn-like refrain over a simple piano melody before Mark’s soaring vocal ushers in Kian and Nicky’s blissful harmonies. A slow builder, the song swells into a full-blown gospel epic complete with strings, celestial choirs and something entirely new for Westlife – bagpipes!

"I really enjoyed singing it. I hope people find it inspiring," says Mark. "It’s an incredible song".

It’s as euphoric a song as Westlife have ever recorded, and surely set to join their long list of chart toppers – a dozen so far, and definitely still counting. Their unprecedented run of success has seen them sell-out five arena tours and perform to more than four million fans, in the process making them the biggest-selling arena tour act of all time.

But they’ve always maintained that the music is more important than the material rewards. "Awards are great but they are just another ornament for the mantelpiece – you might as well buy a vase," says Shane.

"For me it’s about knowing you have a job and being the best at doing it. And that’s even truer now I have a family."

Kian agrees: "You have got to be hungry for what you do or you will fall by the wayside. In any industry that’s true. And we’ve always known when to put our foot on the pedal."

Fortunately there’s plenty more juice left in Westlife, as can be heard on ‘Face To Face’, the boys invigorating that familiar ‘Westlife sound’ with a vocal prowess that reflects seven years’ experience at perfecting their art, married to the music by the seamless production skills of experts in their own field.

‘She’s Back,’ written and produced by Steve Mac, brings a flavour of 1970s funk and disco to the party over a beat that recalls Michael Jackson’s irresistible Billie Jean. ‘Amazing,’ a mid-tempo tune by The Location, is Kian’s favourite ("It’s just a great pop song with a great hook and good melody") while Shane favours another Location tune, ‘Colour My World’ ("a slightly different style of ballad") and two of Steve Mac’s trademark ballads, ‘Heart Without A Home’ and ‘That’s Where You Find Love’ - "That one’s just Westlife to a T."

There’s also a cover of The Eagles’ haunting ballad ‘Desperado’ from their 1973 sophomore album, and a version of ‘In This Life,’ a huge US hit in 1992 for country-and-western heart-throb Collin Raye. Most notable of all is a duet with the legendary Diana Ross on ‘When You Tell Me That You Love Me’ –a makeover of a tune first sung solo by Miss Ross, and later as a duet by Dolly Parton and Julio Iglesias and already being talked about as a Christmas chart-topper.

In short, Westlife have never sounded fresher. And the secret behind their rejuvenated sound – not such a secret really – is that they’ve just recharged their batteries with the longest holiday of their career. Mark agrees. "It was nice to get back to work. And it’s nice to get back to music."

Kian is also pleased to get back to his first love. "I’ve really missed the pop songs because that’s what I really like and grew up listening to."

"It felt like a new start," adds Shane.

The boy band, who were yesterday revealed to be the fifth biggest selling act of the 21st century, top both the singles and album charts after their latest long player, 'Face to Face', edged out Robbie Williams. In the singles chart, the group stay ahead of Sheffield rockers Arctic Monkeys - still in second slot with their surprise breakthrough hit, 'I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor'.

Rapper Pharrell had the week's highest new entry, at number three with 'Can I Have You Like That?' which features No Doubt singer Gwen Stefani.