A YOUNGSTER from York has returned home triumphantly with his pet ferret Derek Dunning from a national ferret championship.

Cailean Newbould, 12, of Huntington, and Derek won the trophy for best child handler at the contest, held by the British Ferret Club at Chatsworth in Derbyshire.

The Huntington School pupil was also presented with a total 21 rosettes for the 11 animals he took to the contest, including one for best reserve kit - or baby ferret - again for Derek.

His mother Collette said keeping ferrets was a hobby which had started as a bit of fun after he was given one by a friend, but which Cailean now took very seriously, and he now had 25 of them.