David Beauchamp

And (incidentally, the article implies) about 250 highly skilled firefighters...

However it started, burning lithium is a bugger to put out.

Don't get me started about Redditch!

I have no fingernails left!

Just said to my wife '... you know you're bad if you can't beat Italy"

Then remembered she's Welsh.

As a Wrexham fan living in (near) Stoke, it's been a confusing few years!

I passed the 11+ in Hampshire the year they went comprehensive. My local comp was the old secondary modern, and I went there. Great facilities for music and what is now DT, so I was happy!

Small world! - I live in that town and was telling my daughter about it this afternoon. She works not far from today's incident and can confirm it smelled pretty much as you'd expect.

Commemorating the Unnamed Day:

The audio version is right...

A clear, colourless balloon floating in a dim bar room. We are looking up at it and the ceiling is pale. Reflected on the balloon's surface are many small bright spots of light and two images of a portrait of a woman on a nearby wall. One of the images is inverted.

I don't know about now, but #Keele in the 80s was great for this. Even if you didn't do the extra 'Foundation Year', where you did a bit of everything, you had to choose 2 additional short courses to broaden your studies. I did Maths and Russian.

When I took over as treasurer of the orchestra last year, I was given a cheque book and a paying in book. It was like going back in time!
(We now have online banking)

Remember cheques?

Thank you, Mr. LEGEND!

* at a lectern (on a podium)

I don't think the people currently running universities ever believed in it, sadly.

Can I join?

Wordle 1,708 6/6

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Holding monarchs to account since 1215

Incidentally, terrific Evensong for Ash Wednesday from Merton Oxford on Radio 3. Well worth seeking out on the iPlayer.

I know Acton Gate, it's definitely not wonderful. But at least he didn't go to the one by Aldi. That's really grim.

Good luck! I hope your resolution is easier to come by than ours 🤞

Two more calls...
And apparently the cheque is in the post!
Resolved in under a year. I'll take that.👍

Managed to speak to someone about this... another hour on the phone that I won't get back.
Daring to dream that the end may be in sight though

Just flogged through this myself. The only consolation is that a friend who banks with Lloyds says that they are even worse!

My bus fare to school was 3d, I liked that you could stand it up.
After 1971 it became 1p. Much less fun for a small child.

If love and acceptance have felt out of reach, I hope this image invites you to reconsider that story.

For those who don’t struggle with it, I hope it affirms what you already know.

My lawn is on the way to becoming a peat bog

I have a lot of important things to do, and the time to do them.

So I'm sat here eating cheese.

And me.
Completely unnecessary.