The top horse trainer, his sex aid catalogue and why it was mailed to

0 Comments | Sunday Mirror, Feb 24, 2002 | by ROBERT CATHERALL

A FORMER top racehorse trainer has upset parents at Prince Charles' old school - by sending them sex aid brochures.

Charlie Brooks, who set up a business selling sex toys after quitting racing, posted the catalogues to parents at Cheam Hawtreys School - where Prince Philip is also a former pupil.

The A Little Something for the Weekend brochure offered a range of saucy products including vibrators and boxer shorts featuring phonebox sex cards.

Staff at the pounds 4,350-a-year prep school in Headley, Hampshire conducted an inquiry after shocked parents told teachers they had all received the catalogue.

They tracked the brochures back to Brooks' home in Lambourn, Berkshire, which he shares with Miriam Francombe, ex-wife of TV racing pundit and former top jockey John Francombe.

Brooks had sent out the mailing after asking friends to supply him with a list of addresses for people they knew.

One parent, who asked not to be named, said: "I knew Charlie and Miriam were running this slightly naughty little business selling sex aids and inflatable willies.

"But it was a bit pathetic really - the most risque things they had in the list were vibrators."

Cheam Hawtreys bursar Mark Smith said: "I got involved because the parents were annoyed that they had received unsolicited post.

"They believed someone at the school was passing on their addresses. We contacted the company but they declined to tell us where the names had come from."

Last night Old Etonian Brooks, 38, who trained top horses like Suny Bay in a 20-year racing career, said: "We wanted to send a brochure out to as many people as possible but buying a great big mailing list was too expensive.

"We asked a lot of friends if they could give us their address lists to save us paying a fortune. Sure enough, some of these people happened to have children at the school."

However, Brooks, who has now wound up his company, is unrepentant.

"I can't see a problem with it really - I actually think it's quite funny."