Editorial

The Editor takes a look at World Cup 2006 and applauds both the players and the fans. Regrettably, his prophesy that England would win fell at the quarter finals.

Hello again!

Well are you all, like me, caught up in World Cup fever? Despite all the prophesies in the media, England have qualified for the knock-out phase with a game to spare. The competition to date has been very difficult to forecast; the first and second favourites - Brazil and England have started off playing badly but have won both their opening games. France, on the other hand, have neither played well nor won either of their two opening games. Against that, Germany - the Host Nation- and Australia have played far better than expected and both also look like going through to the knock-out stages. Who would be a sports pundit?

One thing that must be mentioned is the behaviour of the fans. It has been a real pleasure to see people from many different countries, creeds and colour mixing happily together simply enjoying the wonderful game of football.

Well, it looks as if we have started out summer in earnest. Over the past week temperatures have been consistently in the 70 degrees Fahrenheit and the sun has brought out all manner of human plumage. I sometimes wonder just how some of these young ladies can keep their hipster skirts up!

Talking of plumage, when we took the dogs for their daily walk on the Common last Saturday, we saw a most unusual bird on Common Road. My first thought was that it was a Yellowhammer but a check in my books quickly ruled that out. The predominant colour of the bird was bright yellow and it was about the size of a Chaffinch. We could only conclude that it was a budgerigar that had escaped from captivity. So, if anyone has lost a pretty yellow cage bird, check out the hedges and trees near Richard Allen's home.

On the subject of the Allen family, I am led to understand that the workmen clearing Geoff's old site in Lynn Road unearthed a couple of unexploded bombs! If it was the same "bomb squad" that finally de-fused these bombs they might just like to buy a newer copy of the Ordnance Survey maps for this area. I am reliably informed that they were first seen racing around West Dereham with lights flashing before they finally found their intended destination. But, in all seriousness, as usual they carried out a most professional operation with so little fuss that not even The Lynn News found out about it.

By the time you read this, we should know the likely finalists in the World Cup. Let us keep our fingers crossed that England will be on of them.

Come on England!

Ray Thompson