Sarah Harding has been preparing for her solo career for three years.

The former Girls Aloud singer is the only one of the five-piece girl group not to have released a solo record, but she has merely been biding her time, and had been ready to release material for a long time before the band went their separate ways.

She said: ''Before the farewell tour I started putting things into place to make sure I'd be kept busy after we finished. I'm the only Girls Aloud member who hasn't had a real shot at going solo so I want to give that a try. I've been recording and writing material for three years now.''

Sarah also admitted the break-up of the group - which also included Cheryl Cole, Nadine Coyle, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh - was like losing someone she loved.

She told Britain's OK! magazine: ''When any band splits it's scary, it feels like you're going through a break up with someone you love. All of a sudden it's like, 'OK, what do I do now?'

''I think Nadine took it the worst. We had no idea what she was feeling, that's the difference with her.''