POSING pooches showed their supermodel flair when they strutted their stuff for Clothes Show presenter Jeff Banks.

He made a special visit with the BBC TV crew to Accrington Town Hall to check out the latest in doggy designer-wear.

Pet owners in the region were invited to bring their animals to model outfits created by Blackburn Art College students and named after famous people.

Included in the "showbiz" collection is a purple Mystic Meg creation, tartan hat and coat labelled the 'Vivienne Westwood' and velvet and fake ermine outfit modelled by a Corgi and called the "Queen."

The canine clothes, which will be launched at Crufts in March, are the brainchild of Oswaldtwistle pet consultant Kevin Horkin. He has just opened a new store Petcentric in Church Street, Accrington, and hopes to send his mail order catalogues to owners worldwide.

Jeff Banks, himself a dog lover and owner of two Bassett hounds, said: "Dressing dogs in this way has already caught on.

"I think a lot of it goes on behind closed doors and this is one of the rare occasions when it has actually been revealed," he joked.

Mr Horkin, who hopes to take the outfits to fashion shows in Milan next year, added: "I've always used Accrington as a testing ground and people in this region are potty about pets.

"The designs have generated a great deal of interest and we are hoping to go worldwide with them."

The dogs will be seen on the Clothes Show on December 15.

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