Supermarket chain Iceland is basking in the television success of four talking guinea pigs, which feature in its latest advertising campaign.

Iceland claims the novelty advert has attracted 40,000 new customers to its home shopping service.

The guinea pigs are understood to have attracted fans in the United States, where people have been logging on to the Guinea Pig Daily Digest website.

The advert features the voices of Victoria Wood and Liz Smith - Nana from the Royle Family - and was shot in a picnic setting where the guinea pigs talk over the plus points of internet shopping at Iceland.

Iceland, based in Deeside, north Wales, hired Red Dwarf television director Ed Bye to turn the concept for the ad into a reality.

Boxing kangaroo

Bye, who also produced the feature film Kevin and Perry Go Large, has a successful track record of working with animals, including a boxing kangaroo and pool-playing dog called Sniff.

But the glare of publicity has apparently turned one of the ad's stars into a prima donna.

Skeletor, who plays Pauline, is reported to have started headbutting everything in sight.

Guinea Pigs Calendar publisher Ted Green contacted Iceland and urged the company to broadcast its new-found stars worldwide.

"You have stirred quite a commotion," said Mr Green.

Iceland advertising manager Fiona McDonald said: "The response to the commercial has been unbelievable."