AN 18th Century Grade II-listed narrow stone bridge just down the road from us has always looked pretty quaint but, for many years, has never been very practical. It has been closed now for more than a year after collapsing following flood damage.

Hardly surprisingly, local people want it widened, so that it can cope with the modern traffic that has weakened it so much over the years. The council has agreed but English Heritage still argues it should be rebuilt exactly as it was. If we still lived in a picture-postcard, idyllic pastoral landscape of quiet, narrow lanes, where two coaches and horses in one day constituted heavy traffic, that would be fine. But this bridge has to carry a constant daily stream of cars, as well as many heavy lorries.

Those clever 18th Century engineers originally built a bridge fit for its purpose. They would have thought it ludicrous to put one up that looked attractive but was totally impractical. But 300 years on, is this really supposed to be progress? English Heritage has refused to comment and refers all inquiries to its London office. I presume we contact them by carrier pigeon, then?

LEEDS fans who taunted Middlesbrough supporters last week, accusing them of being paedophiles, are not the first people to revel in ignorance over what happened in Cleveland 15 years ago. I have heard comedians (not very funny ones) make similar jibes, further perpetuating this myth. Perhaps it is worth reminding people of the truth. The Cleveland Child Abuse inquiry found large numbers of children were misdiagnosed as being sexually abused and wrongly removed from their families. That was the true scandal. The likelihood of someone from Leeds or Teesside being, or not being, a paedophile is the same. But unfortunately, for those from Teesside, the likelihood of being wrongly accused of such offences is still, 15 years on, much, much higher.

ECONOMY supermarket foods are just as good as more expensive brands, according to a Which? survey into taste and nutritional value. The British Dietetic Association welcomed the news, saying: "Buying cheap brands means low-income families are not compromising their health." But doesn't it also mean the rest of us are wasting a small fortune on meaningless packaging?

DESPITE widespread concern over MMR, Tony Blair still refuses to say "Leo has had the jab", instead sticking to the line that he would never urge parents to do something he didn't think was safe for his child. I suspect Mr Blair believes MMR is safe. But does Cherie? She is entitled to disagree with Government policy and, like most couples, the Blairs probably compromise over many things. But, "My wife said no," would not be the most convincing excuse for a Prime Minister who hasn't followed his own policy.

GEORGE Best has publicly criticised his 21-year-old son Calum for running up huge debts on his credit card. George, missing for much of his son's childhood, wrote in a newspaper article: "I feel shocked and hurt." Calum, who said recently his dad is "still a stranger", may have behaved badly, but George is not the best-placed person to take the moral high ground. This is a family dispute best dealt with privately.