A passion for peppers has prompted Mark McMullen to launch his own website dedicated to the hot little numbers.

DARLINGTON - the chilli capital of the world! Not as daft as it sounds and it's all down to Mark McMullen, who has a passion for peppers. With a fellow enthusiast, he has launched a website which tells you all you would ever want to know about growing peppers - and gives details on more than 3,500 varieties.

"I just think they're fantastic plants," says Mark, 31, and a sensible stockbroker in his everyday life.

"I love cooking Indian and Chinese foods and when I went shopping for chillies, it was always a bit disappointing, only the few same varieties around. So I started growing my own."

Soon chillies and peppers were taking over the house, the garden, the spare bedroom (which his partner was trying to use as an art studio) and every available space.

"This year I've limited myself to 50 varieties," he says. "There's only so many windowsills in one house."

Growing chilli peppers is a massive hobby in the US and Scandinavia.

"They are so easy to grow - in the greenhouse, in the garden, on the kitchen windowsill," says Mark. "They just need a light soil and a bit of love. And they're good for you. An average size pepper has twice the amount of Vitamins A and C as an orange. And now experts think that the complex chemical compounds in chilli peppers may help prevent cancer."

And some of them just look pretty.

He started the website with fellow enthusiast Julian Livsey, who, luckily, just happens to be a website designer, so it looks good.

"At the moment it's just a labour of love, a bit of fun, a forum for people who love peppers," says Mark.

It includes advice, recommendations and a database listing those 3,500 peppers, usually with photos, from abbraccio (very pretty, medium hot) to zualas chiltepiquin (small and yellow, heat unknown) with a few in between you might even have heard of - bell, capsicum cayenne, jalapeno.

Since it was launched at the start of this month, the website's had over 100,000 hits and 1,700 emails from 70 countries, including one from the US government.

Mark says: "Maybe they thought there was something suspicious about us." Or maybe someone in the White House just fancied growing their own red hot chilli peppers.

And if Mark the Chilli Man has anything to do with it, many more of us will soon be doing just that.

No seeds for sale yet, but plenty of advice and information to inspire you.

www.thechileman.org

Loans with the loo rolls

IF trudging round the supermarket wasn't bad enough to start with, these days you're likely to be approached by a chap with a clipboard asking if you're interested in their banking services.

Hard enough to get your head round what you need for supper without having to think high finance at the same time.

When supermarkets first went into banking in 1997, they offered some exciting deals among the baked beans and loo rolls. It was easier, of course, because they have never attempted to be a fully blown bank, and customers could pick and choose which services they offered.

Since then they have, like much of our everyday shopping, became much more mundane.

The Co-op is in a slightly different position, having long had its own proper bank offering the full range of banking services.

What the supermarkets offer, as with so many things, is convenience. And when so many post offices are closing, there's a real gap to be filled.

WORTH LOOKING AT

LOANS

Not the cheapest on the market, but at 5.9 per cent Tesco's is very close, especially with a two month payment holiday. It's for grown ups only you have to be 23 to apply.

Sainsbury's: 6.2 per cent; Marks & Spencer 6.4 per cent, both with the option of a three month payment holiday; Asda: 7.6 per cent; Co-op 7.2 per cent.

CREDIT CARDS

Sainsburys have an amazing 0 per cent on 12 months offer for purchases, with 5.94 per cent on balance transfers for the first six months, then 15.9 per cent.

Tesco has 0 per cent on purchases and balance transfers until September. Then 16.9 per cent.

Marks & Spencer has 0 per cent on balance transfers for six months, then 15.9 per cent. Also 0 per cent for two years on furniture over £1,000.

The Co-op has a range of cards, including one offering 0 per cent on balances and purchases for six months, then 14.9 per cent. Also the Clear Card which offers a rate of 9.9 per cent.

ASDA offers 0 per cent on balance transfers for six months, then a rate of between 16.89-28.8 per cent.

SAVINGS

Sainsbury's Internet Saver offers 4.75 per cent and you can open an account with £1. Instant Access Saver offers 3.35-4 per cent and the convenience of depositing money as you pay for your shopping.

Tesco has a similar in-store scheme with interest from 3.35-4.5 per cent.

Marks & Spencer have ISAs - tax free interest - of 4.75 per cent.

Most of the supermarkets also offer a range of insurance cover for cars, pets, travel but, while not bad value, they rarely feature in the best buys.

PS ON CREDIT CARDS

A decision from the Court of Appeal now means that when you use your credit card abroad, you will get the same protection as you do in this country. If your purchase is faulty or never turns up, you can claim the cash back from the credit card company. It also applies to purchases made abroad over the Internet, so could be really useful. Some card issuers have long done this, but now the rest will have to as well. Good news for consumers.