MORE cyberpet owners in Bolton have given tender loving care to help their microchip pals reach a ripe old age.

As reported in Tuesday's BEN, Little Lever schoolgirl Kelly Tomlinson thought she had the oldest computer dog in town - at 81.

But since then, two other children have since stepped forward to report that their pets have lived longer.

The electronic toys add years to their age in relation to the level of care they are given. And they quickly die if they are neglected.

Ashley Wells, aged 12, and Alex Greenwood, aged 10, both claim to have kept their dogs alive for 99 years - the oldest age the computer pets reach before they die.

Cyberpets have taken Bolton and the rest of Britain by storm as children without real pets are given the chance to own their own - without the mess.

Mum Sylvia Greenwood of Catherine Street East, Horwich, said: "It was very demanding when I looked after the cyberpet while my daughter Alex was at school during the day.

"You become very attached to it. When it reached 99 we had the option of re-starting it. But we didn't want a new dog - we were very fond of the old one!"

And dad Keith Greenwood of Seaton Road, Smithills, rang the BEN after seeing this week's story.

"We realised that ours was a lot older. But when ours reached 99 - the battery went. We were very sad when this happened - we only bought it nine months ago."

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