Big Brother Celebrity Hijack winner and aspiring politician John Loughton yesterday backed a new campaign calling for a ban on animal snares.

Mr Loughton, who is chairman of the Scottish Youth Parliament, posed with a placard and held up a wire snare outside the Scottish Parliament.

He was the 5000th person to sign a petition to the parliament backing the campaign, which is being led by Advocates for Animals and the League Against Cruel Sports.

His call came less than a week before the Scottish Government is due to make an announcement on the future of snaring.

Mr Loughton said: "It's important we apply pressure now to get the decision that the people of Scotland want.

"Snares are indiscriminate in that they are not only catching the species they are supposed to, such as foxes, but they are actually catching protected species such as badgers. Domestic pets such as cats and dogs could also fall victim."

Mr Loughton has also written to Environment Minister Mike Russell asking for snares to be banned. The UK is one of only a few members of the European Union that still allow their use.

Advocate for Animals campaigner Joanne Sim said: "Snares are cruel and indiscriminate traps that should have no place in a modern Scotland.

"We hope that the government supports the wishes of the vast majority of Scots next week by announcing a ban on snares."