WE are never slow to complain about the weather in this country. Too cold, too hot, too wet, too dry - nothing gets us down quite like the great British weather.

But the next time we look at the forecast and curse our luck, we should spare a thought for what really bad weather can do.

The death toll resulting from the tidal wave across southern Asia will go on rising for days. It is a disaster which defies belief and one which emphasises just how fragile life can be.

The international aid effort must be swift and comprehensive to ease the unimaginable misery, and Britain must play its full part.

When nature strikes with this kind of power, there is nothing the world can do, except pull together and pick up the pieces.

Our thoughts are with all those caught up in this Christmas catastrophe which serves to put so much into perspective.

Let it be a reminder that when it comes to the weather, we really don't have anything to complain about.

A true hero

CAPTAIN Richard Annand was always a reluctant hero. The old soldier, who made history as the first man to receive the Victoria Cross in the Second World War, always said it was the men who served with him who deserved the medal.

But Capt. Annand most certainly was a hero. Despite being badly hurt himself, he returned behind enemy lines during the retreat to Dunkirk to rescue his injured batman using a wheelbarrow.

Capt. Annand's passing, a few weeks after his 90th birthday, gives us the opportunity to salute a man of unforgettable courage.