Paul McCartney reveals he's created an album of carols only for his family after struggling to find 'good Christmas records'   

Paul McCartney has revealed he has made an album of carols – but only his family are allowed to listen to it.

The former Beatle, 77, recorded it at his home studio after struggling to find good Christmas songs. He says he will never release the tracks, according to the Daily Mail.

‘Years ago I thought there’s not very good Christmas records,’ he told BBC Radio 4’s World At One on Thursday. ‘I like something traditional and simple and easy so I went into my studio and I made one.

‘This has not been released it’s just for the family. It gets brought out each year.

‘The kids like it and it’s kind of traditional and now it’s the grandkids getting indoctrinated with my carols record. Then there’s the booze... It’s all very jolly.’

McCartney, who has five children and eight grandchildren, had a festive hit in 1979 with Wonderful Christmastime, which reached No.8 in the Irish charts.

He also spoke in the interview of how he is traditional when it comes to Christmas dinner – although, of course, it must be vegetarian.

He recalled how his late wife Linda used to make a ‘macaroni turkey’ – chilling macaroni cheese into a hard mass before frying it – so he had something to carve.

McCartney is celebrating the 10th anniversary of his Meat Free Monday initiative, which he has rolled out across UK schools.

‘The idea was if we don’t preach and we don’t push, people will do it and then think, “Oh that’s not so bad,” ’ he said. ‘I did love the smell of bacon. It’s not that I don’t like the smell. I just don’t want to eat it. I’m just not interested.

‘There’s these little creatures and I want to give them a shot at living.’

McCartney will headline the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury Festival next year, a gig he will prepare for by playing ten concerts ″to get up to speed″.