Designer Guinea pig

A bizarre breed of guinea pig that was created for laboratory testing more than 30 years ago has become the latest designer pet.

The skinny-pig has no hair on its body except for tufts on its face and feet - so needs strong sun cream in the summer and a jumper in winter.

They eat three times the amount of a normal hairy pig and their dry skin requires moisturizing. But animal lovers are willing to pay up to £150 ($300) for one.

Skinny Pigs were created using mutated genes during the Seventies and their bare skin was used for dermatological experiments.

Research labs eventually handed the creatures over to breeders who have mated them with traditional guinea pigs to strengthen their immune system.