They’re not laughing now!

The chairman of Columbia Records, said: "One of the things that is so unique about Susan Boyle is her ability to touch people around the world. We’re excited that I Dreamed a Dream holds the new record for global pre-orders and that Amazon’s customers have supported her album in this way.”

The second and third most pre-ordered albums were local releases in Japan, with Norah Jones' 2007 album Not Too Late in fourth and Britain's Take That in fifth with Never Forget: The Ultimate Collection from 2008.

Susan Boyle, 48, recently talked about how difficult her school days were and how she would be beaten by teachers during her school days and taunted by fellow pupils for her learning difficulties.

She said: "'I was often left behind at school because of one thing or another. I was a slow learner.

''I'm just I'm a wee bit slower at picking things up than other people. So you get left behind in a system that just wants to rush on, you know? That was what I felt was happening to me.

''There was discipline for the sake of discipline back then. But it's all very different now. I think teachers are taught to understand children with learning disabilities a lot better.''

Susan is a church volunteer, from Blackburn, West Lothian, Scotland and stunned audiences with her rendition of I Dreamed A Dream on the ITV talent show, Britain;'s Got Talent..

She came second in the competition, behind dance troupe Diversity, but won over fans around the world including Demi Moore and Elaine Paige, Susan's heroine, who has since offered to sinf a duet with her.

She initially struggled with her sudden fame, and checked into The Priory for exhaustion following the end of the show.