IT'S GOOD to come home...even when you're a Tory grandee returning from sunny Bermuda to Britain under Labour.

The Ribble Valley village of Sabden is a world apart from the island colony.

But for the village's most famous resident - apart, perhaps, from the Treacle People whose legendary mines are on children's TV - it is home sweet home.

After almost five years as Governor of Bermuda, Lord Waddington has come home to the Ribble Valley.

The former Home Secretary - who as plain David Waddington was one of Mrs Thatcher's toughest lieutenants - hasn't relished the welcome of some very wet bank holiday weather...or his party's defeat in the general election.

But the warmth of friends, family and neighbours back in Sabden has made the homecoming memorable.

Lord Waddington and his wife Gill have returned to the home where they began their married life together 38 years ago. They have left one daughter back in Bermuda, where she teaches, and another daughter has made her home in Australia.

Lord Waddington said: "We have certainly enjoyed our time in Bermuda but we felt the time was right to return home and we are very happy to be here. Living in Bermuda has been a marvellous experience for all of us, a far cry from Sabden of course, but we are glad to get home."

Lord Waddington does not know what the future holds for his career but one of his first priorities will be a visit to London.

He said: "I have to go to be sworn into the new Parliament in the House of Lords and then I will see if I can make myself useful. I have no specific plans at the moment but I will wait to see what turns up.

"I will be working with my successor in preparation for his term in Bermuda and I have a detailed report to make to the Foreign Office about the situation over there." Lord Waddington, who was MP for Nelson and Colne then MP for Clitheroe, was Mrs Thatcher's last Home Secretary in 1989-90, but he had John Major to thank for his posting to Bermuda where he was responsible for defence, security and constitutional emergencies.

At the time he said he was fortunate to be given such an opportunity to bow out of political life with such a plum job but admitted he felt distant from the real action in the House of Commons.

That "action" in the hot seat as Home Secretary has now fallen to another East Lancashire MP, Blackburn's Jack Straw.

Lord Waddington, a former barrister and crown court recorder, added: "Obviously I know Mr Straw from my days in the House of Commons.

"I enjoyed my time as Home Secretary.

"It is a wonderful job, although very wearing, and I am sure Mr Straw will enjoy it as well."

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