A RYEDALE mother-of-three, who is also a Gazette & Herald receptionist, proved the most knowledgeable in the country when she entered the BBC's Test the Nation competition.

Karen Clayton, 40, of Slingsby, was the overall winner in the programme's internet quiz, which was broadcast live to five million people on Saturday.

Karen, who works in our Malton office, completed the on-line test during the programme, and was congratulated live on air by Anne Robinson when she came out top with a score of 68 out of 70.

"She was actually really nice," said Karen. "I think she was pleased it was a woman who won it, because overall men had done better."

Karen answered questions on film and television, remembering that the 'baby' in Howard Hawks' Bringing Up Baby was a leopard, and that Humphrey Bogart won an Oscar for African Queen.

The other competitions in the programme were a celebrity test, which was won by Coronation Street's Bradley Walsh, an audience test and a text message test.

Karen didn't get a prize for winning, but her three children Thomas, 12, William, 10, and nine-year-old Ellen were all very excited, and her husband John said he was very proud. "My mum is over the moon," she added.

Karen was told she fitted the profile of a 'top scorer' because her favourite type of film is a thriller and she likes to read. "The only thing that didn't fit was the television character I most identified with," she said. "It should have been Victor Meldrew but I put Marge Simpson!"

Test the Nation series producer Alexandra Henderson said: "I think it's excellent that she won - well done. We road-tested the test and it was very difficult, I think it was a good indicator of entertainment knowledge."

She said it was too early to say how many entered, but added: "It was very comprehensive with people doing it via their mobiles using WAP for the first time."

Updated: 10:25 Wednesday, March 16, 2005