Taylor Swift gets into the Xmas spirit

Country-pop singer Taylor Swift brought the Christmas spirit to London on Tuesday when she switched on the Christmas lights at a shopping mall.

Thousands of fans turned up at the Westfield shopping centre in west London to catch a glimpse of the star, who was in town to promote her latest album 'RED' which has already recorded the highest first week US sales figures in a decade - reportedly selling 1.2 million copies in its first week of release.

The 22-year-old singer turned on the Christmas lights with a group of children before going on to perform three of her music hits - 'We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together', 'Love Story', and 'RED'.

While away from home on the day of the US election, where President Barack Obama was re-elected for another term, Swift said she still made sure to vote before her trip.

As for Swift's music, 'Red' shot to the top of the iTuens chart within just 36 minutes of its US release on October 22, selling nearly 465,000 copies through Apple's iTunes alone in its first week.

The song's success has been supported by a mini promotional tour around the world while also securing the singer's transition from the country to pop music genre.