A BED and breakfast owner who reckons he has found the world's smallest hens' egg confessed he took it in his pocket to show his pals at the pub.

Paul Rae, 52, found the 20p piece-sized egg on Sunday morning alongside three normal-sized ones in his henhouse at the business he runs with wife Margaret in Humshaugh, Northumberland.

He is hoping to get confirmation that his is the smallest egg, beating a previous claim which weighed 7.3g, as his is just 5g, 2.5cm high and 2cm across.

Mr Rae, a former catering manager on oil rigs, said: "After I found it I had a quick look online then I took it to the pub.

"I carried it in my pocket.

"My friends said I should get in touch with the Guinness Book of Records."

The couple, who run a restaurant and bed and breakfast from picturesque 200-year-old Walwick Farm, have no idea which of their four Lohmann Brown hens laid the minuscule egg.

"It is very rare," Mr Rae said.

"They have been laying normal eggs and then all of a sudden this tiny one came out.

"I have no idea about the reason.

"It is a perfect egg with a lovely strong shell.

"I don't carry it in my pocket now, its wrapped in cotton wool at the minute."