I HAVE just arrived back home from a recent trip into Darwen town centre, to buy Christmas Presents. What a wasted trip it was!

There are posters in many of the shops saying 'Buy it in Darwen,' but there are a variety of items that you just cannot get, no matter how hard you search for them.

This is a very poor do!

Also, a number of the shop assistants could do with going on a 'Happy Course,' as they haven't a smile for the cat!

I will probably end up going to Blackburn, where I will no doubt end up getting what I want (as has been the case in the past).

Darweners might call Blackburn, but it does have a lot of good shops which do stock a variety of goods.

I am not the only one who has experienced this, as a number of my friends and neighbours have said the same thing.

So we will happily 'Buy it in Darwen' when they stock the things we want.

A BAKER (Mrs), Blackburn Road, Darwen