A HAMPSHIRE vet has given his wife a very special present - a dress belonging to the wife of former Tory peer Jeffrey Archer.

Keith Reed, 56, of Hillhead near Fareham bought the red dress for £100 at a sale staged by The Fareham Committee for Cancer Research.

Mrs Archer's dress was the star attraction at the charity event which was staged at the Methodist Church Hall in Kings Road, Fareham at the weekend. It was sold off, raising about £730 for the cancer charity.

Mr Reed, who works for the Alver Veterinary group which has offices in Fareham, Gosport and Portsmouth said his wife was delighted with the latest addition to her dress collection.

He bought the dress for his Swedish wife Ingrid's "names" day - a traditional Swedish event where everybody who shares the same name is bought a gift. He said: "She is delighted with it."

Secretary of the Fareham Committee for Cancer Research Barbara Broomer said it was "absolutely fantastic" that Lady Archer had donated the dress.

She said: "I sent off a few letters to various people and a got a phone call last Monday from Lady Archer's secretary saying would I like to accept the dress. The auction was a lot of hard work but it was very good."