Gordon Brown hires a spin doctor to stop his visual gaffes... shame the Olympic torch set fire to his hair!

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Nicola Burdett, 35, has joined the expanding Downing Street operation to improve relations with broadcasters and keep an eye on how Mr Brown looks.

Her appointment was made public after the Prime Minister appeared at a left-wing political summit with what appeared to be a large orange blotch on his forehead.

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Fired up: Mr Brown wants to avoid being caught out during public appearances

Mr Brown's aides have been looking since last summer for someone who could handle relations with television and photographers, whcih has caused tensions inside No10.

However, th PM's new attention to aestetics has not had a promising start as the unfortunate juxtaposition of his head and the Olympic torch yesterday it look like his hair was on fire.

A number of visual snags have dented the Prime Minister's image at a a time when he is struggling to regain ground in the polls lost to David Cameron's Tories.

He was embarrassed 10 days ago by photos of him clumsily kissing Carla Bruni with an open mouth during the state visit of her husband French president Nicolas Sarkozy.

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Flame do: The Prime Minister is caught out by photographers in Downing Street yesterday

Miss Burdett was said to be taking a "middle ranking job" in the press office whre her role will be to improve how Mr Brown appears in public.

His image-making has struggled since the day he launched his leadership campaign when he was hidden from sight behind poorly-position autocues.

The "look" of a politician is seen as a crucial in an age where viewers easily spot the faults on television.

Last year Mr Brown was mocked for emerging from a car with one of his trouser legs tucked into his sock.

At the Progressive Governance Summit of left-wing leaders in Watford on Saturday photos of Mr Brown suggested to had smudged the make-up on his forehead.

No.10 has been hiring outsiders to beef up its operation since the arrival of new political chief Stephen Carter.

He was being blamed yesterday for approving a logo for the summit that was dropped hastily last Friday after it turned out to have what looked like a Nazi swastika at its heart.

Orange glow: Gordon Brown looks like he's left the make-up room early

Smooch: Mr Brown puckers up then goes for it, greeting Carla Bruni-Sarkozy outside No.10