HUNDREDS of felines went whisker to whisker in a bid to be crowned top cat at one of the North-East’s four-legged championships.

Teesside Cat Club Shared Championships made its debut in Barnard Castle, in County Durham, on yesterday (August 27) and did not go unnoticed thanks to the 247 cats battling it out for winning titles.

Attended by more than 300 animal-lovers, the show at Teesdale Leisure Centre saw Teesside Cat Club join forces with the Cumberland Cat Club for the first time.

Veda Price, show manager of ten years, said: “It’s a beauty competition for cats really and if they are not presented properly they get knocked.

“The bathing and grooming for a show is tremendous, you have to keep on top of it all the time.”

Despite the two shows running alongside each other, one special puss caught the eye of both club judges - securing Best in Show for Teesside and Cumberland while bagging overall Best of the Best in the pedigree section.

Owned by Ray and Sandra Burgess, of Freckleton, near Preston, Lancashire, and known affectionately as Cisco, the huge Maine Coon tabby wowed judges with its appearance and personality.

Ms Price added: “He’s a proper showman, he poses for the camera and shows himself off.

“I love him to bits and he’s one I could take home myself.”

And Best of the Best in the household section went to Jak Frost, an odd eyed solid white belonging to Sarah Holden, of Blackburn, Lancashire.

Proud owners travelled from as far south as Surrey and from as far north as Aberdeen for the inaugural shared contest.

A team of judges scored the four-legged competitors using a points system.

Winners were then picked from each breed for the separate club shows.