My hometown is Leeds. I was very proud of the city when I lived there and I still am.

Peterborough has been my home for more than 10 years, and chances are that by the time I come to hang up my notebook I will have spent more time here than in my beloved Leeds.

So am I proud of Peterborough? Not really. But should anybody care that I'm not?

I don't think so. I've lived in London, Hull, Sheffield, Cardiff, Southampton,York and even in Melbourne in Australia. I remember them all with affection but I wasn't "proud'' of any of them. So what's so great about Leeds? It's now a go-ahead vibrant city, but that wasn't the Leeds I grew up in. Then it was living proof of the adage "it's grim oop North.''

The reason I'm proud of Leeds is simple – it's where my roots are. And if I'd been born in Scunthorpe or Milton Keynes I'd be proud of that too.

Don't forget Peterborough has a high proportion of people whose family roots are not here, be they Italians, Asians, Londoners or eastern Europeans.

Proud or not, I like living here. I like jogging around Ferry Meadows at dusk, the view of the cathedral from the Embankment, the mixed platter at the Emperor Chinese restaurant in Lincoln Road, cycling along side the rowing lake, a pint in The Brewery Tap, the sight of The ET seller wheeling his barrow down to Cathedral Square, Pizzos' barber shop, rarely getting caught in a traffic jam (yes, I know the last year has been a nightmare with roadworks, but hopefully that will all soon be over), the check-out ladies at Waitrose and the Key panto.

You know something? I think I am proud to live in Peterborough.


Talking of pride why doesn't the city make more of the fact that it was home to the world's first mini-roundabout? Frank Blackmore, who invented the "pimple'', as it affectionately became known, died recently.

We should commission a statue of Frank and put it (where else?) on a roundabout.


While I don't doubt for a moment that mini-motos can be a real and dangerous menace, I was staggered to read about the police operation at Dogsthorpe Star Pits and Eye nature reserve when cops on specially-built trail bikes chased down the speeding yobs with guidance from the force helicopter.

Talk about toys for the boys. Has anyone at Cambridgeshire police done a cost benefit analysis on this particular operation? I wonder how many bobby on the beat hours that little exercise would be equivalent to?


The cultish joys of the Rocky Horror Picture Show go completely over my head. I've never recovered from a party some years back when a shy, studious and, frankly, dull colleague suddenly leapt on to a chair and gyrated like a crazy person when somebody decided it would be a good idea to put Time Warp on the stereo.

Still each to his own and it was a shame the outdoor showing of the film at Peterborough Festival ended in chaos when the screen collapsed.