Sun May 18, 2008 7:03pm BST LONDON (Reuters) - Veteran singer-songwriter Neil Diamond topped the charts with an album of new material on Sunday as "Home Before Dark" went straight to number one, the Official UK Charts Company said.

The 67-year-old Diamond's triumph comes 42 years after the release of his debut album "The Feel of Neil Diamond" and 16 years after his only other number one album success with his compilation "The Greatest Hits 1962-1992".

Diamond's British success has been replicated in the United States, where "Home Before Dark" was his first number one in the Billboard Top 200.