WERE you one of the two men and a dog who stayed up late to hear the World Athletic Championships?

I have to admit I was.

And at a time when the worldwide weirdos and digital TV moguls are trying to persuade us that we need 65 different channels and pay to snooze telly to have a good time, it was comforting to know that a cheap portable radio did the job just fine.

Lacking the ability to log on under the duvet (how revolting that sounds) and having not paid a fortune to watch some dozy sports channel, it was left to the sound of voices and the power of imagination to conjure up the scene.

On the telly commentators say things like 'if this goes in it could be a goal' or 'if Joe Cole was a foreigner he'd have at least 50 caps by now'. And that's on the BBC. On ITV I hear they've given up speaking English altogether.

On radio they have to describe the scene to you instead of relying on 50 camera angles. It was just a shame that the commentators were describing another scene in which British athletes conspired to come last again.

Small comfort that they probably broke the British record at the same time.

Red Devils sing same old tune

WELCOME back to the new football season and as reported last week, every cough and sniff is being analysed by middle-aged men who haven't seen their own feet in 30 years.

Like the first cuckoo of spring, the herald of a new season is the bleating Man Utd fan. And there they were in good form complaining about the referee and saying how unlucky they were and blah blah blah.

Just once I would like to hear a Man Utd manager or player admit they were beaten by the better team.

Until then, and if there is a God in heaven, let's hope he makes sure those moaning Mancunian menaces win nothing more than a free set of guides to good manners this season. It's all they deserve.

Is decent pint too much to ask for?

WHAT is it about High Wycombe? Can it be that a town this size really does not have one decent pub to go to? True if it's fighting, crap beer and rooms full of weirdos then this is the place for you. But if it's good beer and a place to have a decent conversation where can you go?

Answers on a soggy beer mat please to Straight Talking, Gomm Road, High Wycombe, HP13 7DW.