Westlife topped the charts in the late 1990s and early 2000s with songs such as Flying Without Wings, You Raise Me Up and If I Let You Go.

The Irish band, which currently made up of Nicky Byrne, Shane Filan, Kian Egan and Mark Feehily, are celebrating their 25th anniversary together with a new compilation album and UK tour.

It has also been revealed that Suffolk’s Ed Sheeran worked on their new single Chariot following on from the band’s performance with him at Portman Road in Ipswich during the summer.

Westlife members Kian Egan, Shane Filan and Nicky Byrne. (Image: Yui Mok/PA)

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“Look, he’s a legend, he’s such an amazing songwriter, he writes nearly three to four songs a day, and he’s super fast,” said Egan.

“We were just so honoured to kind of have him involved in us, and he tells the story of the fact he learned to play the guitar to Flying Without Wings, our song from way back in ’99 and he goes around saying it is one of the best songs of all time.

“He’s been such a massive Westlife fan since he was a kid, so to hear that from such a huge superstar, when he’s in interviews championing us like that, it’s incredible.”

READ MORE: Timeline of Ed Sheeran’s rise to fame

The band performed with Sheeran at one of his concerts in Ipswich during the summer (Image: Mark Surridge)

Sheeran wrote songs for the band with Steve Mac, who helped produce Flying Without Wings and Shape of You.

Earlier this week, it was revealed Ed Sheeran has bought two new homes in Walberswick – a coastal village considered to be the poshest in Suffolk.

The Azizam singer is reportedly creating a home-from-home and is in the process of turning them into a five-bedroom house.

Westlife’s new song Chariots is out now, with the upcoming album 25 – The Ultimate Collection releasing on February 13 next year.

Tickets for Westlife 25: The Anniversary World Tour are also on sale now.