Monthly Archives: April 2010

It’s all over the letters page, you give me road rage

This letter has it all: hysteria, self pity, physical insults, human insecurity, a touching element of forgiveness, and excessive exclamation marks!!! If you know the malicious mini driver in question, or indeed if  you are her, please get in touch. … Continue reading

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Filed under Getting oneself in the paper, Letters to the Editor, Moral outrage, Upstanding locals

How to spot UFOs and literally draw far-fetched conclusions

It’s always wonderful when regional newspapers are able to avoid publishing multiple empty pages on slow news days by instead publishing drawings by demented members of the public. UFOs, sometimes helpfully identified as ‘unidentified flying objects’, are, of course, a … Continue reading

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Filed under Utter bullshit

Canine the Barbarian

Police are investigating but, much like an over-adventurous puppy, this one could run and run. Salisbury Journal, 24 April 2o10 (story): Dog injures nose POLICE in Ringwood are investigating the circumstances surrounding an injury to a dog’s nose. A woman … Continue reading

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Filed under Heartless bastards

Where is the poetic justice?

At first glance, it could have been just any old protest at plans to close a local primary school. But then the affected children publicly unburdened their souls through deeply moving verse. The Staines News was first on the scene. … Continue reading

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Filed under Council hatred, Heartless bastards, Upstanding locals

Polling in (pizza) dough

Although British democracy is clearly in a poor state, the Reading Evening Post does its damnedest to buck the trend and genuinely listens to the voice of its readership. This is achieved via a succession of unnerving online polls on … Continue reading

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Filed under Polls

Christ! Ee bah gum

Jesus seems to be popping up everywhere these days; he gets where water doesn’t. Plymouth Herald, 5 April 2010 (story): Family says ‘face of Jesus’ appeared in Mum’s gum A FAMILY have told of their wonder at finding ‘Jesus staring … Continue reading

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Filed under Celebs in the 'hood, Getting oneself in the paper

Gazette Faces, Vol. 6

Straighten those lips, slacken that jaw and kill those eyes to a vacant stare for the sixth extravaganza of Teesside’s great and good newsfolk. Vandals hack stained glass at Redcar church Fury at rise in Middlesbrough allotment fees Guisborough Town … Continue reading

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Filed under Gazette Faces

The way this country’s going

Q. What do you get when you cross Remembrance Sunday, littering yobs and an empty double decker bus? A. An idle and wasteful society, obviously. Market Rasen Mail, 18 November 2009: It’s going down the pan EDITOR – On the … Continue reading

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Filed under Letters to the Editor, Moral outrage

Immortalised in Lego

Troubled singer Amy Winehouse has enough on her plate without this. Middlesbrough Evening Gazette, 9 April 2010 (story): Darlington student makes Lego Amy Winehouse SINGER Amy Winehouse has been immortalised in Lego thanks to a budding artist. Justin Ramsden has … Continue reading

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Filed under Celebs in the 'hood, Getting oneself in the paper, Stalkers

Hedging bets

Warm thanks to Dave King for forwarding this photo of the front page of the latest issue of the Chew Valley & Wrington Vale Gazette. This week in Chew Valley and Wrington Vale… that is quite some hedge: ‘Champion Hedger … Continue reading

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Filed under Upstanding locals

Splayed on South Street

It’s not normally nice to laugh at those suffering pain, but people requiring specially reinforced stretchers are fair game. Romford Recorder, 5 March 2010 (story): Wheelchair man’s fall sparks road chaos A DISABLED man who was injured when his mobility … Continue reading

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Filed under Council hatred

The Incredible Hulk

There’s no doubt about it,  eyewitness accounts are dumbing down. First it was police in Bolton on the hunt for someone ‘white and large’, and now this. Derby Telegraph, 15 March 2010 (story): ‘The hulk’ bit off my nose A … Continue reading

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Filed under Celebs in the 'hood, Heartless bastards

Slip John B

Never underestimate the ability of whinging locals to creatively combine the same old anti-Council hysteria about grit shortages with a homage to the Beach Boys. Halifax Evening Courier, 12 March 2010: Dear sir, Please print this song about the grit … Continue reading

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Filed under Council hatred, Letters to the Editor