03/03/00 LONDON

A 31-year-old woman has applied to patent herself so she can protect herself from 'genetic exploitation'

Donna MacLean, told the newspaper: ``In my application I stated that I was novel and useful and that my genetic make-up could be used to profit medical research.''

A spokesman at the Patent Office in Newport, Gwent, told the Express: ``I can confirm we have received a patent application from Donna, entitled Myself.''

MacLean said: ``It has taken 31 years of hard labour to invent myself. ``I want to have sole control of my own genetic material.''