AFTER loads of persuasion and almost £300 in donations, Gilly eventually agreed to let us shave his tash off.

To relax him, we invited Vicky Walker into the studios to give him a massage first.

Then came the crunch. Vicky squirted foam on his top lip and Gilly began to shake as if he was in the dentist's chair. The outcome is ... Gilly looks 10 years younger. Grrrreat!

WE have been surfing the Internet recently and we've come across some really wacky websites, like the one about VW camper vans in Movies which lists every film the vehicle has appeared in.

And how about this for fans of Madonna - every magazine Madonna has ever been on the cover of.

But possibly the pottiest page is the Bagpipers Go To The Movies, showing pipers' appearances in films from the children's classic Bedknobs and Broomsticks to Braveheart.

A NEW report says the most expensive designer trainers can do untold damage to the human body, mainly in the wallet area.

WHAT started out as an organised trip to Paris turned out to be a trek across France. We landed at Charles de Gaulle airport with no connection, took a taxi to the hotel, 20 minutes to get washed and changed then on to a coach for the journey across the capital.

But 45 minutes into gridlock, we gave up and jumped on the Metro.

First stop, press conference with Genesis, before watching them on stage at the RTL studios. Back to the restaurant for a lovely meal until midnight, then time to ourselves.

A few pints then back to the hotel to sleep, wake up just in time to fly home. Paris and back in 25 hours - not bad, hey! No wonder I've got frogs legs.

WE HOPE it's not too late for the pair of us to give you the recipe for our favourite Christmas cake. It won't let you down.

You'll need half a pound of butter, a cup of sugar, four large eggs, a cup of dried fruit, a teaspoon of baking soda, a teaspoon of salt, lemon juice, some nuts and a bottle of whisky.

Taste whisky to check for quality. Take a large bowl. Check whisky again to ensure it really is of the highest quality. Pour one level cupful and drink. Repeat.

Turn on electric mixer and beat in batter. Add one spoontea of sugar and beat again. Make sure whisky is still okay. Cry another tup. Break two leggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the dried fruit. Fix on the turner. If the fruit gets stuck in the beaters, pry loose with a drewscriver.

Sample whisky again to check for consisticity. Next, sift two cups of salt, or something. Who cares? Check whisky. Sift lemon juice and strain your nuts. Add one babblespoon of brown sugar, or whatever colour you can find. Wix mell. Grease oven. Taste whisky and turn cake pan to 350 gredees. Don't forget to beat of turner. Throw bowl out of the window, sample whisky (again) and bo to ged.

Question of the week:

THE first three correct answers drawn win a copy of Irving Berlin's White Christmas on video.

The question is: In the film, who sang White Christmas?

Send your answer with your name and address to: White Christmas comp, Preston Citizen, 3 Winckley Court, Chapel Street, Preston, PR1 3JJ. The closing date for entries is December 30.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.