WHAT would you do with £20,000? Buy a flash motor? Go on a designer shopping spree? Take an exotic holiday?

Not animal-lovers David and Jil Atkinson. The cat-crazy couple, from Pendle, decided to spend their cash on a designer diamond-studded collar for their pet.

Their search led them to Accrington's Petcentric's Church Street store, where staff initially thought the request was a hoax.

Sarah Booth, marketing executive, said: "We could hardly believe that someone would buy their pet such an expensive gift. The collar consists of black velvet, encrusted with 40 yellow cast diamonds and has a 24-carat gold fastener."

Now the 12-month-old Lilac Burmese Leah looks fit for the cat-walk.

Proud owner David said: "We bought the collar for Leah because we love her so much. She is the most beautiful cat in the world. We plan to keep the collar in a bank vault and let Leah wear on special occasions only. But when she's not wearing it, Jil will use it as a bracelet."

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