WILLASTON Hall has provided a home for ostriches, circus animals and the smallest ocean-going boat in the world!

They've all featured in past exploits of its titled owner.

But now James Hadfield-Hyde's colourful career has moved on to TV presenting and the latest guests at the mansion house have been the bevy of beauties starring in his Sky programme, 'Lord Lust's Lovelies Show'.

Eager to make his mark on television, the enterprising Squire of Alderley, persuaded a producer to back him in a trial programme featuring fast cars and lovely ladies on the late-night Granada Sky Men and Motors Channel.

He decided to 'cash in' on his other title, given to him by a national newspaper that carried an article about his love-life.

He was dubbed Lord Lust, much to his amusement, and had already given it a public airing by using it to name the tiny craft in which a friend aimed to make a record breaking ocean crossing.

That nautical venture didn't take off, but his Lovelies Show did!

"The pilot programme went so well that I was offered a twice weekly series based around glamorous girls and cars featured on a calendar. We spotlight a girl for each month and the filming has all been done at the Hall," said James.

"The girls all want to break into showbiz and television and most of them are talented singers and dancers. It's all good, clean fun and I hope that it does help their careers to take off," he added.

The calendar will actually go on sale for 1999.

His new series begins this Friday, February 6, going out at 11.30pm.

James has also been seen on television as a guest on chat shows like The Time, The Place with John Stapleton and Sky's Live Six Show with Sheryl Gascoigne.

Willaston Hall is now preparing to play host to another television programme of a very different kind, Channel Four's 'Collector's Lot', along with its presenter, Sue Cook.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.