BASINGSTOKE'S top pin-up girl did her best to cheer up Harry Redknapp ahead of Southampton FC's final game of the season.

Rachel Cole, 20, who lives in Kempshott, posed for pictures with the Saints manager on Friday - two days before his team took on Manchester United in a match that would decide their Premiership future - after winning a competition to find Britain's most attractive football fan.

Rachel entered Nuts magazine's 2005 Fittest Football Fan competition as a Southampton supporter and gained the most votes in a text poll to claim the title.

Throughout the season, the magazine has been asking fans from all over the country to send in pictures of them in their team's kit. Rachel beat off the challenge from thousands of other hopefuls to win.

"It is really cool to have been voted Britain's fittest football fan," said Rachel. "I only sent in my picture for a bit of fun and now I've won.

"The photoshoot went alright - it was a bit cold but good fun. Mr Redknapp was very busy ahead of the big game, but he congratulated me on my victory."

Rachel recently made the final of The Sun newspaper's Page 3 Idol competition. She was not successful on that occasion but was recently photographed for her first appearance on Page 3 - which is due to be published in the next few weeks.

And the photo opportunities don't stop there. Next month, Rachel is off to Los Angeles for a shoot with glamour company Mac and Bumble.

First published: Monday, May 16, 2005