MODEL Ruth Higham is ringing in the changes for telephone giant BT - by starring in its current television commercial with motoring expert Jeremy Clarkson.

The former Canon Slade School pupil can be seen on TV screens across the nation promoting BT's latest campaign.

Ruth can be seen behind Clarkson for most of the advert, posing in a busy office environment in a smart suit while the Top Gear presenter and Sun columnist asks why many companies make more effort trying to attract new customers than they do on treating their existing customers well.

The 26-year-old, whose parents live in Harwood, beat off competition from hundreds of girls to land the role after attending an audition six months ago.

The advert was filmed in a one-day shoot in London.

Ruth said that she "absolutely loves" to be involved in TV work and said that it was her dream to appear in a prime-time television series.

Ruth, a former Max Factor beauty consultant, has made regular appearances in tabloid newspapers and lads' magazines, and as the face of peanut firm Big D.

Her image, which featured on the snack's cardboard display stand, was responsible for a 35 per cent rise in sales of the peanuts in 2003. She has also appeared on the cover of various computer magazines and was seen across the globe in her role as internet cyber babe Glo White promoting Acdo washing powder.

She also featured in a Granada Breeze series about four girls living in a Manchester penthouse, in which she played a goody-two-shoes TV presenter.