RAMSBOTTOM mongrel Jaytee is at the centre of a row that is splitting the scientific world!

The nine-year-old dog, pictured with owner Miss Pamela Smart (41) of Kay Brow, Ramsbottom, gained national fame with his uncanny ability to know when his mistress sets off for home from wherever she is, whatever the time of day. He jumps up and runs to the porch to wait for her.

But a report by Dr Richard Wiseman, of Hertfordshire University, published in the British Journal of Psychology, flatly states that the dog has no psychic powers.

The report was based on experiments conducted in 1995 by Dr Rupert Sheldrake, when the dog was video taped on four different occasions as Miss Smart left for home.

Although the dog did react, the report concluded that it was simply because there was a passing car, a cat or people outside the house.

But Pamela refuses to credit the findings, and is aiming to protect her dog's reputation!

"Three of the four experiments worked," she said. "Scientist, Dr Sheldrake, used the very same results to back up his own theory in a lecture."

Dr Sheldrake, who is currently working in Brazil, said: "Unfortunately, Dr Wiseman has been blinded by his sceptical prejudices. Our many observations showed the dog does indeed anticipate Pam's arrival home."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.