Westlife have decided they like "being on a break" so much, that they're going to be on a break for keeps.

Here is the all important statement: "Over the years Westlife has become so much more to us than just a band. Westlife are a family. We today announce our plan to go our separate ways after a greatest hits collection this Christmas and a farewell tour next year. Over the years Westlife has become so much more to us than just a band. Westlife are a family. We would like to thank our fans who have been with us on this amazing journey and are part of our family too. We never imagined when we started out in 1998 that 14 years later we would still be recording, touring and having hits together. It has been a dream come true for all of us."

So this Farewell Tour of theirs will be the last time fans can see them producing stools onstage. They probably saw The Risk sitting with aplomb during Saturday's X Factor, and knew it was time to pass on their stools.

In a week which saw The (rather ravaged looking) Stone Roses reunite, this news will surely rock the music industry to its core... although, they did sell a record-breaking 44million albums during their career...

44MILLION.