WELL, what about this fuel shortage? Anarchy on the streets, shops running out of bread and milk and near riots in the queues for fuel. Fair takes me back to my very young childhood and the days of the three day week, oil crisis and Ted Heath and all that.

Of course, thanks to the world wide web and information technology, I don't need petrol to do my job.

So, even though my trusty, rusty Beetle only holds enough fuel for a couple of days, I will not let my website readers down.

This column is being penned on my trusty laptop in a secret location before being winged through the ether and arriving at the Telegraph building in Blackburn.

And, of course, I can keep all the news and sport up to date on our website from said remote location and even work on our new look online leisure section.

Any road up, the old fuel debate is a tricky one. The anarchist in me says hurrah to those plucky truckers who have brought an entire nation to its knees in a few short days just by parking at the gates of the odd oil terminal.

However, the tree-hugging, bunny-loving old hippy in me recognises that fuel duty should be maintained at a high rate to ensure conservation of the precious natural resources, and reduce harmful pollutants being emitted which will poison the planet which Little Baby Lewis will inherit when she grown up.

Of course, the debate rages online as well as everywhere else. For the Bunny Huggers, check the Friends of the Earth website; on the side of the motorist, try the Royal Automobile Club.

www.foe.co.uk

www.rac.co.uk