Kids' playground blade fiend makes me sick to my stomach'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹ '“ Zella ComptonÂ

This is what happened in Lancashire last week '“ some idiot stuck blades to a slide with sticky tape.

This was planned and executed in the knowledge it could cause extreme harm.

I can't begin to imagine the sickness festering inside that person, there is no excuse for behaviour like that. Random violence is bad enough, but violence targeted at children? It makes me sick to my stomach. 

It's like the needles in the fruit in Australia tucked inside strawberries.

Surely there is some other way for people to make their voices heard? Or are they really that utterly stupid, malicious, ignorant and vile? 

Laden with shopping bags in the rain is no laughing matter

According to The News last week the residents of a cul-de-sac in Waterlooville have had vehicle access cut off to the their houses for the next six weeks.

At first I giggled about this, thinking it was rather funny that the residents were expecting to have their road dug up for one day only '“ how could anyone get that so wrong?

But then actually considered what it would be like to have your vehicle access to your house removed.

It must be a nightmare.

Taking shopping home for a start '“ I resent having to walk up and down the path to my front door a few times after I have been for a big shop.

Just imagine having to walk about 300 yards with your frozen goods, your massive bag of loo roll, and then all the other stuff too.

You'd have to become adept at packing plastic bags, with no room for delicately balanced items like a box of eggs, or that random bottle of bleach which no one knows which bag it belongs within.

Plus, think about the weather.

At this time of year it's lovely to get a dry day '“ but most of them have hardcore drizzle coming in at unexpected angles. Not pleasant.

And what if you have a small child in tow?

Imagine if you're getting something delivered '“ like a new sofa or two '“ in time for Christmas?

Can you imagine telling the delivery people that they need to carry it all that extra distance?

I suppose it would make the delivery fees feel worthwhile given the prices you've already paid for the new furniture and then having to pay extra on top (guess who's feeling the bite about that particular situation?).

Then there's relatives who struggle with distance to take into account, and a host of other challenges to contend with. So it's no laughing matter.

Seemingly the blame lies with the Environment Agency which has mucked the whole thing up, but what a time of year to make that particular mistake.

It'll be no consolation to the residents, but I'm thinking of you and wishing you well and a speedy road recovery.

Techno password overload

I rang the bank this week about an odd item on my bank statement.

I remembered checking for  fraud is something which should be done on a monthly basis '“ so I did.

There was a transaction I didn't recognise, and one the month before. An internet search later and I was even more confused '“ so I rang the bank to find out what to do.

It's quite simple as it happens, they cancel your card and send you a new one. Except I failed the security questions to cancel my card which turned out to be quite lucky as I suddenly thought to search my email for the company name.

Turns out it's, via three other names, for school lunches, and I didn't need to cancel anything.