Claire is a star in her own right

She has a wealth of experience and her predictions are valued by the rich and famous.

Here she tells KAREN STEPHEN about herself.

CLAIRE Petulengro has been reading palms since the age of six which is hardly surprising since she comes from one of the most famous clairvoyant families.

And now she is set to predict the futures of the our readers in a new weekly column.

"I'm really looking forward to working with the Bolton Evening News," said Claire, aged 30, "and I hope its readers enjoy reading my predictions."

Claire was chatting on her mobile as her husband, Rob -- a hairdresser - drove her to the launch party thrown by OK magazine for her new book, Love Stars.

She said: "The book is a guide to all your relationships, not just with lovers but your relationship with your boss, child, even mother-in-law." A best seller in the making one suspects. Claire writes for many national newspapers and is often seen on This Morning and other television programmes.

Five years ago she gained national notoriety by making outstanding predictions on a television show and did the same on Predictions 2000, achieving the top score against other psychics and even against the political and sporting experts.

"Of course there are cynics when it comes to clairvoyancy and astrology," says Claire, "but the stars and planets cannot lie.

"For example, if the planets are in certain positions then of course it will affect people born under a certain birth sign.

"It's just the same as the country being in a state of recession when, say, Mars is in retrograde.

"That will affect everyone in a certain way.

"It is all down to common sense -- it isn't magic."

Claire says she has always had a sixth sense and has long been aware that she is a clairvoyant. Yet that could be down to the fact that her family have all been clairvoyants.

Her grandmother was Eve Petulengro from the famous family of purebred Romany gypsies and who made her name reading the palms of royalty.

She was also the palmist and clairvoyant on Brighton Pier.

Her mother, Eva, was well known in the 60s with celebrity clients including Michael and Shakira Caine and The Beatles.

Eva Petulengro was Cosmopolitan magazine's first astrologer and used to write for 72 publications.

Claire also has many celebrity clients.

She said: "I don't reveal any names but I advise many actors, pop stars and politicians and I regularly fly to America to see clients and give talks on astrology, palmistry and tarot."

Looking at Claire it is hard to see her Romany origins, especially as she has pale skin and very blonde hair.

She explains: 'Many years ago Romanies would only marry another Romany so the blood was pure.

"But as more Romanies abandoned the life of travelling in caravans and settled, many began to marry non-Romanies, known as gorgers. This is when the look of the Romany changed."

Claire is married to a gorger. "Yes," she laughs, "Rob is a gorger and we have a wonderful son called Paris who travels everywhere with us."

She is originally from Brighton but now the family live in Torquay -- where Rob hails from and where Claire, when not appearing on television or travelling, writes her columns and her books.

She is one of Pan/Macmillan's stable authors and her previous books have included Health Signs, closely followed by Diet Signs -- how to lose weight and stay fit, taking into account the traits and downfalls of your star sign.

One thing that can certainly be predicted, Claire's forecasts for the BEN readers will certainly be well-read.

Claire begins her new column on Monday, March 4.

STAR GAZER: Claire Petulengro is set to make her mark in Bolton