CAROL Thatcher - daughter of former Prime Minister Margaret That-cher - proved to be a big attraction at the Southern Hamster Club's show at the Phoenix Centre in Andover on Saturday.

She was filming for the BBC's One Show, borrowing a hamster to enter.

In the end Carol - who was Queen of the Jungle in the 2005 I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here - failed to get her hamster placed but didn't do badly for a beginner.

About 200 hamsters were shown and 39 pets were also taken along, including rabbits, rats, ferrets and gerbils, said show secretary Sue Carter. She said: "It was a huge turn out."

A mighty trio of breeders known as Tristar clinched best in show for Syrian and Dwarf categories.