Teenage groomer's Crufts promise

Lydia is determined to walk away with a trophy

A teenager has vowed she will keep competing in the largest dog show in the world until she wins.

Lydia Williams, from Brecon in Powys, took part in the 102nd Crufts dog show at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham.

Even though the dog she shows, Droleus That's M' Heartthrob, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel did not win she is determined to keep on competing.

Lydia reached the final of the Young Kennel Club Groomer of the Year.

"There were 10 in the final - it's a great experience. Crufts is special," said the 16-year-old.

"But if you walk around with a King Charles Spaniel - you may as well walk around with a cuddle-me-sign."

To prepare the spaniel, called Romeeo for short, Lydia had to bath him beforehand.

"I had around two hours to groom him as if I was preparing for a show, I had to clip the claws and prepare the pads."

But the excitement proved too much for two-and-a-half year-old Romeeo on Saturday, and he fell asleep during the competition as he did last year.

Romeeo after a hard day's work

Lydia who attends Brecon High School has taken part in the competition twice and she has been showing for three years

She has made a pact with Romeeo's breeder and intends to carry on competing through the Young Kennel Club until she is 24.

The competition was open to all Young Kennel Club members and the finalists were awarded marks for a combination of good presentation and careful handling.

Crufts is officially recognised as the largest dog show in the world by the Guinness Book of Records and more than 24,000 dogs took part in this year's canine extravaganza.

A relaxation of quarantine laws since 2000 meant more than 700 overseas dogs were registered to participate, the largest number in the event's history.