RIBBLE Valley MP Nigel Evans was involved in a fishy exchange in the Commons on Wednesday before a powder bomb blew Prime Minister's Questions away.

And he didn't come up smelling of roses -- not even purple ones.

He took deputy prime minister John Prescott on over claims that he met Chancellor Gordon Brown in an oyster bar in Scotland to discuss the replacement of Tony Blair.

The Ribble Valley Tory started off by telling Mr Prescott: "We do not have any oyster bars in the North West of England, but we have a number of other businesses."

And he used this spurious connection to say that the Confederation of British Industry in the North West opposed an elected regional assembly because of the costs -- highlighted by the escalating price of new Parliament buildings for Scotland and Wales.

Mr Prescott looked disdainfully at Mr Evans and then referred to his claim that he only stopped at the Loch Fyne seafood restaurant to buy some kippers for former Prime Minister's press secretary and Burnley FC fan Alaistair Campbell.

And he then asked whether Mr Evans was changing Tory policy to scrap devolution in Scotland and Wales and take away the regional development agencies vital to business and jobs in areas such as the North West.

Mr Evans looked distinctly put out.

ROSSENDALE and Darwen MP Janet Anderson had to tear herself away from the Shawforth Majorettes in her constituency recently to attend a rather more hi-falutin musical event.

She deserted the delights of their displays at St Mary's spring fair in Bacup and the family fun day and dog show Dog at Marl Pitts to hear young tenor Sean Ruane perform in London.

The Bacup singer was performing Benjamin Britten's Serenade for tenor, horn and strings.

Mrs Anderson said: "I could hear people saying what a wonderful voice he has. He will go far."