Harvey - was wearing stout fell walking boots at the time, but when stood on a 10ins wide track on a 1 in 3 gradient there isn't any form of footwear that will save your bacon, when you are hit by a 46kgs hound doing some 40 or so miles per hour squarely in the back, with your legs tied together by leather dog lead. So thanks for the well meaning advice - but till they make footwear with a vertical take-off and landing capabilty - I'll just have to stick to prayers and supplications to some higher power or other for deliverance from such situations!LOL!!!!!

Harvey - Have you not thought that perhaps Rianna had a little unfinished Xmas shopping to attend to! After all you can buy very little in a field.

The great thing about virtually the entire population of the north west crammed into the Trafford Centre that other places are deserted and you can shop in relative peace

Fortunately I see so few members of the "great unwashed" in my daily life, that when I do go to Town it has huge novelty value for me. Once over I can withdraw to mist shrouded isolation and forget about it all till it suits me to go again! Would truly hate it if I had to go there regularly or heaven forfend some sort of work. Yuk!

;it'll be the first Christmas I'll be free. I've always had to have my mother at Christmas, she was never easy but dementia made things even more difficult. 3 Christmases ago she was in Trafford general and very poorly after a fall, I was also running youngest son for laser eye surgery every week to Bolton general as he had a bleed behind his retina ( hes diabetic) so I spent more time on the motorway than anywhere else. 2 Christmases ago Cariad had babies and last Christmas Mabs had babies, strange Christmas for me, I can please myself, apart from turning up at youngest sons on The Day to eat lunch