WHAT a week I've had! I left Manchester Airport on Saturday morning for Krakow, the old capital of Poland where the Pope was born, to film part of a Granada programme called That's Rich, to come out next month.

But what was a little bit more interesting to me is that it has the most fabulous fur coat shop.

Now don't create a stir or go all sanctimonious on me about wearing fur. When all that hooha was going on saying that we shouldn't wear fur, we put half the population of the Arctic out of work and left loads of Eskimos on the breadline.

We have to be very careful about interfering in the workings of other countries.

I remember when I visited the Taj Mahal, men were crouched on their haunches cutting the grass with shears and I asked: "Why don't you get a lawnmower? You could do it all in half a day."

The head man replied: "Yes, but that would put all these men out of work and deprive them of the few rupees they earn to feed their families. We are not going down the road that you in the West have gone down until we find the right solution."

Wise words, don't you think?

THE evening before, I attended a farewell dinner held for Accrington's Mayor, Win Frankland, a lady who obviously is very well thought of. It was held in the town hall, a first time for me in that superb building.

The food was very good and the compere quick, clear and kept the proceedings tight - no mean feat at those dos.

I was sitting next to Eric Whalley, chairman of Accrington Stanley FC, and Peter Barrett, chairman of Accrington Cricket Club, gentlemen both, so I had to be careful when I bid for the signed Rovers ball.

We had a lovely night and the people of Accrington turned out to be quite, quite civilised - well, almost as much as we are in Blackburn!

Seriously though, the Mayor's team had worked hard to make £15,000 for their charities.

MEANWHILE, our voting system seems to have worked very well until now, as it's all gone to pot.

How on earth can it be a secret ballot when husbands, fathers and dominant members of a family can know, and influence, how you vote?

Only the very sick and infirm should be allowed a postal vote. If you can't be bothered to go and vote, then that vote is not worth having.