MURPHY the springer spaniel has amazed her owner by producing 16 puppies, believed to equal the British record, and Mr Mike Bolton, 24, of Henley, Suffolk, is now trying to decide what to do with his new charges.

He said: ''I only really wanted one or two. When she was pregnant she looked like she had swallowed a barrel of beer.

''But the vet said she thought there were only five or six puppies because she could only detect five or six heartbeats.''

Since the litter was born last week, one puppy has died, but Mr Bolton wants to hear from anyone who could offer the dogs a good home.