BEDLAM RULED in a bookshop in the Trafford Centre when 'woman of the moment' Monica Lewinsky brezed in to promote her new book.

She visited as part of a UK tour aimed at telling her side of the story in print - and raising a few dollars...

And anyone who doubted that there was much interest in the woman who almost ruined the US President need only to have gone to County Bookshop to be proved wrong.

For there were hundreds of people - many who had clearly been waiting for hours in the hope of catching a glimpse of her.

Monica, festooned with a Manchester United scarf, chatted to a lucky few at the front of a long queue and signed their books - while trying to ignore the press frenzy.

One of the first to meet Monica -and even manage to get a cuddle, pictured left - was two year-old Jessica Davies from Sale, who was there with mum Debbie.

Debbie told SAM later: "I wanted to see what Monica looked like, she's different than I thought. She's a world reknowned person now but she was very nice. I think she's had a bit of a rough deal.

"Clinton's side has been well documented - she should get to tell her story."

Bemused manager Rebecca Valentine reported that trade did not seem to be suffering because of Monica's appearance.

"I think it's quite exciting for the shoppers but everything else has been pretty normal here so far," she said.

The book, written by Andrew Morton, shocked America recently with its detailed revelations of her affair with Bill Clinton. And it would seem Monica is on to a winner - they were sold out at the shop within minutes.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.