Inventors at Toyota have come up with a car powered by hamsters. The pink vehicle looks like a ladybird with windows where the black spots would be. Hamsters running in wheels provide the energy which is stored in a battery to power the engine. The creation won a prize at the 26th annual Toyota Ideas Olympics in Japan.

However the company was quick to rebut any accusations of animal cruelty, saying the car would never go into production - although a spokesman said the event had provided 'many genuine ideas along the way' ??????? He added: 'This was to show how much energy hamsters produce. When you want acceleration, you just tell them Freddie Starr (ate my hamster) is coming.'