From Tuesday night the traffic light at the island on the soutbound exit of at junction 31 of the M1 at Aston was flattened on the grass verge with its disembowelled cable innards spread all over the grass.

The effect on traffic was appalling.

Because the light was out and no-one could get on to the busy island, both exit lanes of the new four-lane stretch of the motorway were backed-up for at least a mile back to the M18 causing half-hour-plus delays on Tuesday and Wednesday.

I was all set to get on the phone to the Highways Agency, the County Council, Watchdog, Points Of View, The Old Bailey and anyone else who might listen to me froth on about such a scandalous neglect of a major intersection.

Then on Friday morning the traffic light was back in place. The lesson to be learned here is that if you want to have a rant about something get in early before the ratbags have chance to put it right.

Swinging sixties

HAD occasion to look back to August 1965 when researching a story this week.

Harold Wilson, Alf Ramsey, Mods and Rockers and all that, then I looked at the pop charts.

Not since the renaissance can their have been such a flowering of artistic talent as there was in that era.

Almost all of it will be familiar to anyone over the age of 25 with a love of music.

The Beatles, The Animals, The Byrds, Elvis Presley, The Beach Boys, The Kinks, The Hollies, The Walker Brothers, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, The Searchers, Tom Jones, the Righteous Brothers and The Four Tops all in the top 40 at the same time!

No wonder all us old farts keep banging on about the sixties.

Okay there were also The Honeycombs, Horst Jankowski's Walk In The Black Forest and Jonathan King singing Everyone's Gone To The Moon in there too.

But you get the point.

Writing hero

A MOMENT to salute a bit of a hero from this profession.

Talented young Sheffield journalist Adrian Sudbury is terminally ill with two types of leukaemia.

He was in London this week to deliver a petition to the Government to help raise awareness of the need for bone marrow donors, backed by The Star's Gift Of Life Campaign.

I only met Adrian once at an awards dinner in Leeds and he was perfectly charming - mind you he should have been, he'd just won an award.

There must have been much private anguish over the months but he has outwardly faced his illness with courage and a smile. He only has a few weeks to live and I'm sure everyone at The Star and in this city would like to congratulate and thank him for his efforts to help others while under such personal duress.

If he's not careful he'll be giving journalists a good name.

Owls and Blades unite! Sheffield striking legends David Hirst and Keith Edwards are at Mosborough Hall on Friday 1st August 7-30 pm. There's a Chubby Brown tribute act and local band The Risky hero's. Tickets £12 which includes pie 'n' pea supper. Tickets on 07779018446.



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