A CONSULTANT has swapped cardiac care for Christmas cheer this week as he makes his bid for a festive number one.

Singing doctor Bill McCrea, 61, has put down his scalpel and picked up a microphone to record self-penned soon to be Christmas classic, Yahweh Christmas Cheer.

The musical medic at Great Western Hospital has teamed up with specialist nurse Harriet McCullough to form the Wiltshire Heart Throbs and inject some festive cheer into the town.

The duo, who work together in the Wiltshire Cardiac Centre at the hospital, recorded the song along with a cover of Bob Dylan’s Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door inside the hospital and clad in Christmas jumpers.

And the song looks set to be a holiday hit as more than 100 copies have already been sold around the town, with profits donated to the Brighter Futures’ Radiotherapy Appeal and the British Heart Foundation.

Dr McCrea, who performs lead vocal and guitar on the song, revealed Yahweh Christmas Cheer has a heartwarming meaning behind it

“I want people to focus on the true meaning of Christmas which is giving love and being together, especially with the children because the magic of Christmas is for children," he said.

“I was more nervous playing this song to Harriet for the first time than I was doing a life-saving heart operation.”

No Christmas number would be complete without a troupe of elves, with the children of staff who work on the ward also lending their polished vocals to the piece.

“Everyone was very professional, especially the children, and the results have just been phenomenal," said Dr McCrea,

Dr McCrea, known in the town for prescribing heart attack patients a daily glass of red wine, said swapping heartbeats for chart beats was something that came naturally.

“I’ve always written songs and played guitar, it’s my way of destressing and relaxing.”

“I wanted to do a song last Christmas but I was so nervous, I needed that extra bit of encouragement to do it so the song took 18 months to write. Luckily, everyone I have played the song to has loved it.”

The single was debuted by the group in front of a packed house at the MECA last month.

And Dr McCrea will monitor a different kind of chart this month as he hopes to join the ranks of Christmas chart toppers Sir Cliff Richard and Rage Against the Machine when the festive ditty is released on iTunes later this week.

“I’m not expecting anything,” he said;” I feel very proud of the song and I hope people buy it, enjoy listening to it and of course raising money for two worthwhile causes.”

Great Western Hospital hopes to raise £2.9 million in the two year-appeal to pay for a dedicated radiotherapy centre. Brighter Futures, the fundraising arm of the The trust officially launched the bid last May, which could see long journeys for radiotherapy become a thing of the past.

As of December, the current total stands at more than £1.3 million, which means the charity is within touching distance of the all-important halfway point.

To get your copy of Yahweh Christmas Cheer visit Holmes Music on Farringdon Road, That’s Entertainment in the Brunel Shopping Centre or the Amigo store at the entrance of the Great Western Hospital.