IT COULD be Willaston teenager Nicola Venables who starts up the National Lottery machine live on television next month - and it's all thanks to her little dog, Scuffy.

Scuffy, who won the prestigious Crufts Triathlon last year, will be appearing at the top dog show again this year.

And in the same week, the competitors will fight it out on national television to see which owner gets the chance to press the famous button and start the draw.

Nicola, aged 15, of Tricketts Mews, Willaston is hoping to repeat last year's success, which saw Scuffy, a Bichon Frise, scoop top honours on his first appearance.

"I just thought I'd enter for fun," said Nicola. "We started training him because he was getting away with things, then the trainer said why not try agility."

The triathlon has, as its name suggests, three stages. The first sees the dog being shown, then it is put through an obedience test.

Finally the dog has to undergo an agility course, and it is this part of the trial which Scuffy will be undertaking on television on Wednesday, March 4.

If he wins on the night, it will be down to Nicola to press the button and pick a winner.

"I haven't really felt nervous yet," she said. "I haven't had time because there is a lot of training to do."

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