ANNE Pope, who chairs Wootton Bassett Twinning Association, exhibited two period dolls houses at a recent collectors fair in Blain, Wootton Bassett's twin town in France.

Mrs Pope's weekend visit, with her husband David, followed an invitation from enthusiasts who admired her dolls' houses in Wootton Bassett last summer, when they attended the official twinning ceremony.

Mrs Pope, who loves making and restoring dolls houses, took up the hobby ten years ago. She exhibited her English Tudor farmhouse and Victorian music shop in Blain, and visitors to the fair were fascinated.

"We were told that they have modern dolls houses but they don't attempt to produce historically accurate buildings as I try to do," she said.

A novel feature of Mr and Mrs Pope's stand at the exhibition was a challenge to visitors to spot a miniature mouse, in each dolls' house. About 800 people took up the invitation,

"It caused a lot of fun," said Mrs Pope.