Irish boy gets cheeky with Liz

TWELVE-YEAR-OLD James Ryan from Kildare was being dubbed the luckiest boy at Royal Ascot after planting a kiss on Liz Hurley’s cheek.

The youngster met the actress when she presented his family with the Norfolk Stakes trophy after their horse Blue Dakota triumphed in the first race.

James was careful to avoid knocking off Miss Hurley's wide-brimmed hat and, with perfect etiquette, leaned far enough to the side before delivering his kiss.

"She was brilliant, I couldn't believe it. She said well done and congratulations," he said.

A glamorous Hurley had earlier arrived with every female racegoer's must-have fashion accessory a man on her arm dressed in top hat and tails.

The famous model and actress was accompanied by smartly dressed millionaire boyfriend Arun Nayar.

Hurley, 39, wore a light pink and cream two-piece suit with a fishtail skirt, and a wide-brimmed Philip Treacy hat decorated with a large pink rose.

Other celebrities enjoying a day at the races were I'm A Celebrity's Linda Barker, wearing a hat by Yvette Jelfs, and head of London's 2012 Olympic bid Lord Coe.

Hollywood actress Alicia Witt, who recently starred in the play The Shape Of Things in London, also brought a touch of film star style to the event. The 28-year-old wore a satin lilac dress with a £2,000 headpiece sculpted out of mauve roses, South Sea pearls and pheasant feathers.

"It's my first time here. It's surreal. I feel exactly like Eliza Doolittle.

"I'm a little bit overwhelmed," she said.

Temperatures hovered around 18C (64F), with the early morning bouts of sunshine being replaced by cloud covered skies.

But Ascot was awash with colour as racegoers stepped out in style for fashionable Ladies Day.

Vibrant hats of every shape and size were paraded around the course on what is traditionally the busiest day of the popular week-long meet.

Female punters save their most fabulous and splendid head dresses for the event attempting to outdo each other in the extravagance stakes.