HAS somebody failed to tell me that there is a competition going on in St Helens for who can shout the loudest? Are we getting a town crier?

The reason I ask is because there seems to be lots of people who need to shout from one end of the street to the other to talk to their friends.

It can be deafening when you have to pass by people doing that. Call me old fashioned but I would rather walk up to my friends and speak to them face to face without straining my voice. It takes all sorts I suppose.

Esme Hatton Straight (via www.sthelensstar.co.uk)