IS this a record? It’s probably the hottest day of the year so far and we’ve just had a full-colour leaflet pushed through our letterbox advertising a local takeaway.

And there on the front page is a picture of a smiling, skating Santa, complete with gloves and scarf, above the legend: ‘Have a Merry Christmas’.

The last line of the leaflet says the management would welcome comments, suggestions and ideas.

Here’s one: Do you think we might get Easter and the Royal Wedding out of the way before we begin to think about Christmas?

Mind you, there’s only some 260 shopping days left.

Doesn’t time fly?

Harry Nuttall, Darwen.