Each printed entry will receive a £5 book token. Entries on a POSTCARD, please, to This England, NS, address here: http://www.newstatesman.com/nscontactus.htm

Put a (short) sock in it

Committee members at Frinton Golf Club, in Frinton, Essex, have relaxed a rule which said men had to wear knee-length socks with shorts. Now men can wear short socks.

Officials said the rule change had divided opinion among the 600 members. But growing numbers of junior members objected to knee-length socks. And some visiting teams were also said to have been unhappy.

"Not everybody's happy. It's a very traditional club," said Nick Sams, a club professional.

The club, founded in 1895, still reminds golfers: "No denim clothing, tracksuits or shell suits should be worn either on the courses or in the clubhouse."

Birmingham Post (Mr F N Fish)

Electrified Qing

The rare Chinese vase fetched £25,000 - half its value - at a Dorset auction because it had a hole drilled in it to turn it into a lamp. The owner's family did not realise it was from the Qing dynasty and made a 0.3in hole for an electric cable to pass through it to use as a table lamp in their south-west London home.

Sunday Times (H Glenister)

Post your comment

Please note: you will need to login or register before you can comment on the website