X Factor winner Joe McElderry has said that visiting sick children and British soldiers this week, has made him realise that his battle to reach number one in the charts, isn’t that important.

During his promotional tour this week Joe has met soldiers home from Afghanistan and poorly children in Great Ormond Street hospital. He claims that these visits have helped him out his chart battle with Rage Against The Machine into perspective.

He told The Daily Star:

“This week I have been faced with soldiers who have had their limbs blown off and children who are dying or seriously ill in hospital.

“That to me is so much more important than getting to No 1. You just don’t know how lucky you are. I was at Great Ormond Street Hospital yesterday and it opened my eyes.”