Meet the dog who thinks she’s Pavarotti

SHE is howling mad for Luciano Pavarotti.

Whenever Holly, the pint-sized Yorkshire terrier, hears the operatic tones of the world's greatest tenor she cannot help but sing along.

Sometimes just a mention of the heavyweight singer's name is enough to spark her off.

Holly does not save her talents just for her own family.

She regularly entertains residents at a nearby care home, just around the corner from the Rose Bowl in West End where Pavarotti himself will perform a concert as part of his farewell tour next month.

"She absolutely loves him," said Holly's owner Maria Smith.

"She's mad and will sit in the middle of the room singing along to his voice.

"She even has a video of Pavarotti and sometimes you only have to mention his name and she starts off."

Ten-year-old Holly always gets a superstar welcome from the residents of Pinewood Care Home in West End.

"I love Pavarotti and I love it when she sings too," said resident Irene Stubbs, who enjoys watching the little Yorkie perform alongside backing vocalist Ellie, a younger terrier who joins her on the visits.

Pinewood manager Nicky Summers said: "Holly and Ellie are very popular. The ladies here get very excited when they hear they are coming to visit."

Maria, a voluntary worker for the Blue Cross animal shelter, first found out about Holly's passion for Pavarotti when Diana Princess of Wales died.

"Holly heard the opera music playing on the television for Princess Diana's funeral and just started howling along."

Opera diva Since then the little dog has built up quite a reputation as a performer. She also likes Russell Watson and is partial to the occasional track by Andrea Bocelli. She almost made it to the final round of a television Pup Idol contest run by Des O'Connor on Des and Mel.

"Now she has become a complete opera diva and I have got her the T-shirt to prove it," said Maria, who has raised both Holly and Ellie from birth.

Maria also admits that since discovering Holly's talent for singing with the world's most famous tenor, she too has become a fan of Pavarotti and has snapped up tickets for the July 12 concert at the Rose Bowl.

"I've got my seats near the front," she said.

"Unfortunately Holly won't be coming along to perform a duet."

Click here to listen to Holly 'sing'

Give the dog a phone You can also hear Holly sing' by ringing 0906 218 0103. Calls cost 25p per minute.