FLY AWAY One of the joys of getting older, actually I prefer “more mature,” is that you can get upset about really trivial things. Some people rave about junk mail.

Ely Standard: Sir Len HuttonSir Len Hutton (Image: Archant)

What’s the problem? Just throw it into the recycling bin and get on with your life. Others can be offended by people staring incessantly at their mobile ‘phones. If they don’t want a real life it’s entirely up to them.

My particular bugbear is fly-posting and especially posters left up way after the date of the advertised event which is why I was pleased with the actions of the organisers of a fun run on Saturday.

One of the cancer charities organised a series of fun runs for children on St Andrew’s School field on Saturday morning and inundated the Sand Street end of the school drive with A4-sized posters announcing the event.

They had even stuck one in the middle of the Forum community notice board. “Not cricket,” I thought and decided to trundle back for a picture later in the morning.

The runs had obviously happened and the organisers had removed all of their fly-posers. Good on them, excellent behaviour by excellent people. Let’s hope that they had a really successful morning. They made one “mature” person very happy!

TOO HANDSOME

Jake the spaniel certainly doesn’t consider himself a vain individual, just honest. Which is why he probably won’t be going to Wicken on Saturday.

He knows that if he ventured to our pretty little neighbour he would be sure to sweep the board at the dog show attached to the annual fete that will cover two of the three village greens.

Jake has heard that the Wicken event is a proper village fete with a proper village beer tent and a proper village silver band. What better way could there be than spending a sunny afternoon renewing acquaintances, enjoying home made cakes or admiring dogs almost as good looking as a certain Brittany Spaniel?

WHO DECIDES?

So Cambridge has got it’s way over the suggestion that the county will not be aligned with our neighbours in Norfolk and Suffolk.

The revised proposal is that the two costal counties join together with an elected mayor while Cambridgeshire stands alone with its own mayor.

On the face of it having a mayor seems like a good deal. There will be an extra £20 million a year plus £100 million for affordable housing.

If it’s there why not grab it? No reason at all as long as it is used for the good of the county as a whole, not sucked into the ever hungry appetite of our county town.

One way to help those of us who don’t depend on the demanding city that seems to see itself as the hub of the universe would possibly be to set up the mayor’s office somewhere in the county away from Cambridge.

There are excellent communications both by road and rail to the former administrative capital of the Isle of Ely, March.

That way it may be possible to ensure that the £20 million isn’t spent on more daft schemes like closing busy roads, guided buses or even monorails but used to make the roads in the Fens and beyond safe to use again. Whatever the outcome may be it would have been nice if we, the people of Cambridgeshire, could have had a chance to express our opinion on the scheme.

After all, we are deciding on the future of the whole country today, so why not our particular part?

BEST FROCK

There is an opportunity to dust off your best bib and tucker on Saturday at the summer ball in aid of the St Andrew’s School community swimming pool to be held at the Shade School.

Tickets at £30 each are available from St Andrew’s reception and include live music to “Harley Street” and a two course meal. Go on, take her out and give her an excuse to look good in her best frock.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Today would have been the hundredth birthday of a true English hero. On June 23 1916 a true son of Yorkshire drew his first breath; Mrs Hutton gave birth to the future Sir Len who battled for the glory of his county and country on the cricket fields of the world. Let’s raise a glass to his memory.

DARKNESS

The street light replacement operation has hit Fordham Road. Plastic play-pens were erected around existing lights on Friday, holes were dug and left.

One of the side effects is that many of the lights now no longer work, which is a bit of a worry on the main road into town.

One particular stretch has not only lost the glow of the main light, but the light on the island in the middle of the road and the two (no longer) illuminated “keep left” bollards on the island. Perhaps this turn off is inevitable, but to leave it over the weekend is surely hardly responsible.