I Need 500 Beautiful Italian Girls, Stat!

A fun evening with Colonel Gaddafi:

He has a habit of making bizarre requests when travelling abroad - usually for a Bedouin tent to be pitched outside the building where he is staying.

This time an aide contacted Hostessweb to ask for 500 'beautiful Italian girls' to be supplied for a gala evening.

They should be at least 5ft 7in, aged between 18 and 35, and should not wear mini skirts or plunging necklines, although 'high heels were OK'.

They were told to meet at a hotel in the centre of Rome before being taken to the Libyan Ambassador's residence.

Several were turned away after being told they were inappropriately dressed or they were too short.

Once inside - and after an hour's delay - Gaddafi arrived in a stretch white limousine to lecture them on the superiority of Islam. While opinions were mixed on the religious instruction, most girls agreed that the catering was rubbish.

One said: 'I thought we were going to a party - we didn't even get a glass of water or some salty snacks.'

Another, an engineering graduate, said: 'It was all very polite but I expected at least a little bite to eat.'

Mr Londero insisted he was not running an escort agency.

He was unwilling to discuss how much he had charged to supply 500 girls, or what they were paid, although he admitted he had received a bonus for arranging the event at only two hours' notice.