DO you hanker after a ham sandwich with William Hague? Or would you like to share a long lunch with absolutely fabulous Joanna Lumley?

A nationwide survey by caterers Eurest has revealed who the nation would most like to share their sarnies with - and the Citizen's ANGELA CREASEY gave up her lunch hour to find the region's hottest working lunch dates.

Are you reading this in your lunchbreak? If the Eurest survey is to be believed, you probably are.

More people in the North West have an hour for lunch than anywhere else in the country. But it's who we're dreaming of sharing it with that makes us different.

Linda Roberts, a caretaker from Sibury Street, Blackburn, said her ideal lunch date would be William Hague. "Anybody other than John Major would do though," she added.

And despite the survey's other revelation that people in the North West are the most adventurous lunch time eaters, she said: "I bring my own butties."

The Spice Girls came top of Blackburn College lecturer Philip Waddington's dinner date list. He said: "I get an hour off for lunch, and I certainly wouldn't mind spending it with them!"

He doesn't win the category for most adventurous eater either: "I go home for my dinner. I'm a pie and peas man." Although nationally Joanna Lumley was the most popular dinner date, closely followed by Sean Connery, politicians figured more highly among the local lunchers we questioned.

Jason Broadhurst, a photographer from Blackburn Road in Accrington, said: "Alan Clark would be my ideal lunch date - I think he would be interesting.

"I was about to say the Spice Girls but after five minutes they'd have probably run out of things to say."

OUR TOP 10:

1 Spamela Anderson

2 Ma-donna Kebab

3 Meatloaf

4 Edwina Curry

5 Jimmy Savaloy

6 Richard Branston

7 Gerhard Burger

8 Anthea Turnip

9 Anneka Rice

10 Trevor McDoughnut

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