I FOR one cannot believe that the travellers took down the wire fence and posts on Bainbridge village green and parked up in their, ooh, scores on Friday last week.

Fortunately, the police were quickly on the scene. Unfortunately, there was nowt they could do and the visitors stayed until Tuesday when they moved off to spread their free-spirited good vibes in another community.

They left behind left a proper mess and a great big knot in the zip wire at the children's play park, the tinkers.

On the subject of children, I really enjoyed the various pieces of artwork on display when we called in to the doctor's surgery in Leyburn this week with a sick child. There were wonderful poems, fabulous Piers Browne-inspired etchings and fantastic cubist paintings, all done by youngsters from local primary schools. I was busy thinking that it was sad that many people stop being creative when they reach adulthood when an elderly gentleman walked into the waiting room with his sample. Rather than pop it into the sample box provided, he carefully placed the liquid/solid in the box of sweets on the counter which was raising money for a well-known children's charity. Predictably, the rare grown-up thought was replaced by a giggling fit.

Less amusingly, I think I stumbled on an illegal hare coursing event this week. It might have been that or it may have just been a group of shifty looking men with lurchers and 4x4s having a family gathering in a layby on a quiet country lane.

I considered stopping and taking pictures for an expose but I had the baby in the back and thought we would be made to feel about as welcome as a health and safety inspector at Hogwarts.

"So let's get this straight. Children fly about on broomsticks without any kind of safety harnesses or protective clothing trying to catch a high-speed golden globe thingy.

"The adults watch and sometimes they use magic to try and make the children crash their broomsticks, but it's OK as the children can also use magic to set the adults on fire.

"Hmm. I guess at least the adults have been subject to a disclosure and barring service check. The adults have been subject to a disclosure and barring service check haven't they?"