I'M glad to see the council's new clean-up squad has hit the streets of Leigh.

The Beat-it gang have targeted the Bedford-Astley ward, clearing up along Manchester Road and litter picking around the three schools.

Well done!.

They have also moved in on Atherleigh Way, Kirkhall Lane and Jury Street.

I must say it looked a lot better for a while, but the bags are mounting again.

I still say there should be no need for this type of operation whatsoever.

If no-one dropped rubbish in the first place the Borough Environmental Action Team would be rendered useless - and the £125,000 cost of the work would be saved.

A poor three-months-old baby died last week, poisoned by eating too much salt.

His young parents fed him pureed adult mash potatoes and gravy and Ready Brek because they said they could not afford to buy proper baby food.

What is the family allowance for? Spend it on food instead of disposable nappies, which are bunging up the landfill sites and helping to wreck the environment.

I wished on Sunday I'd never moved out of Leigh. As I witnessed the longest, most ferocious storm I've ever seen in this country, I rang my parents to find out it wasn't raining here.

And colleagues were even having barbecues.

But just 15 miles away gutters couldn't cope with the cloudburst and water cascaded down the windows, finding every little flaw in the building to pour into.

The electricity flashed off for five hours, police and fire engines were haring about, alarms were going off . I was petrified by the noise and lightning.

I was so relieved when the oppressive clouds eventually moved away and the rain stopped. I mopped up and tidied up, then went to the car to find the footwells flooded under inches of water. I couldn't believe it.

And it's the first time I've been forced to have butties for Sunday tea. Worst of all I missed Corrie.

The price some of us have to pay for a week of hot weather. I'M appealing for help here.

Colin Ainsworth, of The Poplars, Leigh, sent me a cutting from a Sunday newspaper which said three residents in Twying Street, Bromyard, Worcs, were hoping to see it listed as Britain's shortest street in the Guinness Book of Records. Like Colin, I remember all the hooha about Ramsey Street, between Mather Lane and Brunswick Street, Leigh, being measured up to contend for this title.

But for the life of me I can't remember when. I looked in the 1982 GBR and the title was with a road in Salterfirth, Lancashire. In 1990 it belonged to 58ft Tolbooth Street in Falkirk.

We probably lost the distinction because Ramsey Street is now without buildings.

Can anyone enlighten us? Did we ever make the great book and when?

Talk about losing your memory as you get older.

STAR WARS fever has entered another dimension.

Goodness knows why, but local collectors have been paying silly prices for the cult film's original seventies toys for years.

Now the biggest fans can vie for two memorabilia related number plates D4 RTH and VAD 3R which go up at the DVLA's classic collection sale in September.

You can guarantee this will be invaded by fans desperate to throw away a couple of grand apiece to capture the plates.

Can't see the point in private plates myself. Just like cars you might as well throw money down the toilet.

AFTER the recent dog dirt saga comes another mucky tale.

Reader D Jones, of Tyldesley, wishes to lambast the rider who allows his/her beast to drop its load on the pavement in front of local shops every morning.

Apparently the horsey person doesn't have the decency to dismount and kick the stuff into the gutter. This task is left to local shopkeepers.

Dog dirt is bad enough, but horse manure is worse is the moan. True.

I remember the time when before a steaming pile hit the tarmac someone would have been out with a brush and shovel to scoop up the prize for their garden.

Those were the days, eh!

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.