IT is truly hard to believe that a doctor condemned in the Bristol heart baby scandal is still benefiting financially because the law is unable to stop the gravytrain.

James Wiseheart is still receiving a pension based on a salary boosted by a merit award even though he was subsequently struck off the medical register and severely criticised during the inquiry into the sickening scandal.

That came after the General Medical Council discovered that heart operations on children went ahead despite serious concerns over high death rates.

The merit payments are reported to have been worth £240,000 to Mr Wiseheart since the concerns about him were first raised. Former Health Secretary Frank Dobson rashly promised to take the payments away from Mr Wiseheart three years ago but it proved legally impossible for the Department of Health to do so.

No wonder Helen Rickard, whose daughter's heart was retained by the Bristol Royal Infirmary without her knowledge, feels insulted.

For a start, ministers should not make knee-jerk promises without first checking whether the law will allow them to be kept.

And, secondly, Mr Wiseheart should have the common decency to hand the money over so it can be ploughed back into the National Health Service, which has been robbed of millions of pounds by a scandal in which he played a part.

It is a vain hope if the arrogance which has underlined recent inquiries into the medical profession is anything to go by, but it is money he simply does not deserve.

ANOTHER major sporting event. Another British disappointment.

After Henmania fizzled out at Wimbledon, the Lions were tamed by the Wallabies, and the Ashes were swiftly blown away by the Aussies, Monty's promise remained unfulfilled at The Open.

And so we must take solace in the remarkable record attained by a racehorse, trained in North Yorkshire, named Quixall Crossett.

Quixall Crossett's 100th successive defeat made national news. The world's worst racehorse didn't let us down - indeed his trainer described it as a below par performance.

Oh how the British love a glorious loser - but wouldn't it be nice to find a winner?