A water-soluble and/or water-swellable hybrid polymer comprising: (i) from 30 wt.-% to 95 wt.-% water-soluble and/or water-swellable polysaccharide polymer selected from the group consisting of xanthan gum, carrageenan, guar gum, chitosan, alginate and combinations thereof; (ii) from 5 wt.-% to 70 wt.-% synthetic polymer comprising up to 100 mol-% repeating units according to Formula: wherein R 1 is hydrogen, methyl or ethyl, Y is selected from O, CH 2, C(CH 3)H, or C NR 2 where R 2 is hydrogen, methyl or ethyl; A is O, phenyl, a linear or branched C 1 -C 12 -alkyl, a linear mono-hydroxyalkylene group with 2 to 6 carbon atoms or a linear or branched di-hydroxyalkylene group with 3 to 6 carbon atoms; D is S, POH, POR 3 or PO - Q + where R 3 is hydrogen, methyl or ethyl; and Q + is NH 4 +, organic ammonium ions [NHR 5 R 6 R 7] + wherein R 5, R 6, and R 7 independently of one another is hydrogen, a linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 22 carbon atoms, a linear or branched, singularly or multiply unsaturated alkenyl group having 2 to 22 carbon atoms, a C 6 -C 22 alkylamidopropyl group, a linear mono-hydroxyalkyl group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms or a linear or branched dihydroxyalkyl group having 3 to 15 carbon atoms, and where at least one of the radicals R 5, R 6, and R 7 is not hydrogen, or Q + is Li +, Na +, K +, 1⁄2 Ca ++, 1⁄2 Mg ++, 1⁄2 Zn ++, 1/3 Al +++, 1⁄4 Zr ++++ or combinations thereof; wherein the synthetic polymer comprises at least 99 mol-% of repeating units according to Formula; characterised in that the components (i) and (ii) are polymerised by radical precipitation polymerisation in a polar solvent. (i) from 30 wt.-% to 95 wt.-% water-soluble and/or water-swellable polysaccharide polymer selected from the group consisting of xanthan gum, carrageenan, guar gum, chitosan, alginate and combinations thereof; (ii) from 5 wt.-% to 70 wt.-% synthetic polymer comprising up to 100 mol-% repeating units according to Formula: wherein R 1 is hydrogen, methyl or ethyl, Y is selected from O, CH 2, C(CH 3)H, or C NR 2 where R 2 is hydrogen, methyl or ethyl; A is O, phenyl, a linear or branched C 1 -C 12 -alkyl, a linear mono-hydroxyalkylene group with 2 to 6 carbon atoms or a linear or branched di-hydroxyalkylene group with 3 to 6 carbon atoms; D is S, POH, POR 3 or PO - Q + where R 3 is hydrogen, methyl or ethyl; and Q + is NH 4 +, organic ammonium ions [NHR 5 R 6 R 7] + wherein R 5, R 6, and R 7 independently of one another is hydrogen, a linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 22 carbon atoms, a linear or branched, singularly or multiply unsaturated alkenyl group having 2 to 22 carbon atoms, a C 6 -C 22 alkylamidopropyl group, a linear mono-hydroxyalkyl group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms or a linear or branched dihydroxyalkyl group having 3 to 15 carbon atoms, and where at least one of the radicals R 5, R 6, and R 7 is not hydrogen, or Q + is Li +, Na +, K +, 1⁄2 Ca ++, 1⁄2 Mg ++, 1⁄2 Zn ++, 1/3 Al +++, 1⁄4 Zr ++++ or combinations thereof; wherein the synthetic polymer comprises at least 99 mol-% of repeating units according to Formula; characterised in that the components (i) and (ii) are polymerised by radical precipitation polymerisation in a polar solvent. R 1 is hydrogen, methyl or ethyl, Y is selected from O, CH 2, C(CH 3)H, or C NR 2 where R 2 is hydrogen, methyl or ethyl; A is O, phenyl, a linear or branched C 1 -C 12 -alkyl, a linear mono-hydroxyalkylene group with 2 to 6 carbon atoms or a linear or branched di-hydroxyalkylene group with 3 to 6 carbon atoms; D is S, POH, POR 3 or PO - Q + where R 3 is hydrogen, methyl or ethyl; and Q + is NH 4 +, organic ammonium ions [NHR 5 R 6 R 7] + wherein R 5, R 6, and R 7 independently of one another is hydrogen, a linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 22 carbon atoms, a linear or branched, singularly or multiply unsaturated alkenyl group having 2 to 22 carbon atoms, a C 6 -C 22 alkylamidopropyl group, a linear mono-hydroxyalkyl group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms or a linear or branched dihydroxyalkyl group having 3 to 15 carbon atoms, and where at least one of the radicals R 5, R 6, and R 7 is not hydrogen, or Q + is Li +, Na +, K +, 1⁄2 Ca ++, 1⁄2 Mg ++, 1⁄2 Zn ++, 1/3 Al +++, 1⁄4 Zr ++++ or combinations thereof; wherein the synthetic polymer comprises at least 99 mol-% of repeating units according to Formula; characterised in that the components (i) and (ii) are polymerised by radical precipitation polymerisation in a polar solvent.