BIG Brother may not have been watching, but hundreds of shoppers were happy to look on as a bikini-clad teenager ran through the streets of York.

Former York College drama student Leesa Waddington, 19, stripped down at the weekend as part of her application to make it into the Big Brother house for series three.

Inspired by the antics of former contestants on the reality TV show, which is due to be screened on Channel 4 and on the internet later this year, Leesa, who lives in York Road, Haxby, decided to brave the wind and rain in order to stage the stunt.

As she asked bemused shoppers the way to the beach a friend caught the whole thing on video camera. Now the tape, which all applicants have to submit along with written details, is on its way to the judges in time for Friday's deadline.

Leesa, a sales account manager for Software Box, at Sutton-on-the-Forest, said: "I just want to do it for the experience: all I ever wanted to do was be famous.

"I have applied for Big Brother every year, but I have just sat in front of the camera before and said a few things about myself.

"This time I thought I must do something that gets noticed.

"Everyone says I am crazy, but I'm not bothered. I don't care what people think of me."

Leesa said that she dreams of being a children's television presenter and sees a stint in the claustrophobic Big Brother house as her best chance, even though her mother is not so keen.

She said: "I know it will be hard, but I like meeting different people.

"I'm not bothered about the cameras being everywhere, I don't care what people think of me. But I'm quite loud, so I might do peoples' heads in.

"My mum said that if I got picked she would leave the country while it was on.

"She wouldn't be able to cope because I would make a fool of myself. But I think it's a laugh."

Updated: 11:08 Monday, February 04, 2002