What a great birthday present, Trekker. Many years ago, my old neighbour was treated to a day out at Brands Hatch and he was ecstatic about it. Not for me, I am afraid, the Dodgem cars at the fairground frighten me.

Congratulations …👍

LLAP 🖖!

Double bubble nice..

🎉 Congrats 🎉

Congrats to both of you 🎉

On behalf of Em, thank you very much for all of your messages of support 💕

Sorry to hear this Em.

😧That is devastating news Em.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you both. 🙏🏻💞🙏🏻

So sorry and sad to read your post. Thinking of you both.

😢 You know where we are Em. You can ask us for anything.

Stay strong Em and carry on making some wonderful memories. We're all with you & Simon and both your families at this terrible time.

So very sorry it has gone this way, such a cruel disease. I wish you both peace and love 🧡

So sad, thinking of you both...stay strong ❤️

Awful news, so terribly sad. My thoughts are with you both. Love and hugs.

I wish you all the love and support in the world and masses of hugs and strength on your return.

So sorry to hear your sad news. Thinking of you both.

So sorry to hear that Em, you and Simon are in my thoughts too.

Oh Em, such sad news 🥲 You are both in my thoughts. Sending you love and strength xxx

So sorry to hear this sad news Em, we are all surrounding you and Simon with love.

So Sorry to hear your sad news Em. You and Simon are in my thoughts.

Such sad news Em. Sending love to both of you.

Sorry to hear this sad news. Thinking of you both.

I'm so sorry to hear your news Em.

What else can I say. Take care Em and Simon. Savour every precious moment you have .

Thank you for sharing Em', it cannot be easy.

Stay brave. Stay Positive. x

No words can express how deeply sorry I am Em & Simon. 🫂

So sorry to hear this very sad news Em.My thoughts are with you both ♥️

So sorry to hear this. Sending you both all our love xxxx

So sorry to hear this, Em. Thinking of you both. :-(

I am so sorry for you both.

My thoughts are with you. Xx

Sorry to hear this sad news 😭

Such sad news to hear, I am very, very sorry , take care xxx

Other than I'm so sorry to hear the very sad news, we will be thinking of you both everyday. Sending lots of love to you and Simon and

your families. xxxx

We have all been following your journey and cannot express how sad we are at the outcome. Keep strong for each other and make the most of every moment you have. Make lots of memories and you will both be in our thoughts. God bless you both xxxxxxx

So sorry. Sending love and best wishes. xxx

No words can be enough, live your lives for every minute you have left together.

Are thoughts and Prayers are with you both.

The worst news, so sorry for you both. Hope you can enjoy the time you have together. As others have said, don't forget to take care of yourself whilst taking care of Simon. Virtual hugs.

Oh Em. Oh Simon.

Oh Em, I am so sorry to hear this awful,news. Your PMP family will be with you all the way. Take care and all our love to you an Simon.

Sorry to hear the news. Make many more memories eh?

Best wishes.

So very sorry Em. Take care. Thinking of you both xx

Words cannot express the sadness I feel for you and Simon. We are all thinking of you and send you strength, hugs and love.

I have no words, everything has been said above. Thinking of you both, we are all here for you Xxx..

So sorry to hear the news, Em.

Having gone through loved ones issues in a similar vein, no words can provide the comfort you deserve.

Just make the most of the time that you have together that you can.

Em, so sorry to hear this news my thoughts and everyone on here I'm sure are feeling for you, Simon, and the rest of your family. Sending love to you all.

😥

Dear Em, I am very sorry to hear the news about Simon's condition. Please remember to take good care of yourself. Sending you lots of virtual higs.

So sorry to read this. Wishing you both strength. 💐💐💐

So sorry to hear this news Em, my thoughts are with both of you. As others have already said, please don't forget to take care of yourself as well as Simon.

So sorry to hear this news, Em - both myself and Mrs T are sending you both our love & best wishes..❤️!

LLAP hopefully…🖖

So so sorry to hear this news. Do take care of yourself too, Em. x

Make the most of your time together Em, and don't forget to take care of yourself.

Such sad news which all of us hoped we would never hear. Much love and good wishes to you both.

Oh, Em. So sorry to hear this. You have such an amazing love which will stay with you forever. You will give each other strength in the weeks to come.

Awful news, Em, I'm so sorry to hear it... I can't add anything to what has been said already, so I can only hope that you have as much time together as possible in the coming weeks. Much love, as always. 💗

So sorry to hear this, enjoy every day. Sending you both hugs and kisses xx

Simon, you know we’ll all try to support Em all we can, little though it is. All I can do is hope things go as well for you as possible and that you both can come to terms with the situation and find comfort in what you have in each other. Much love from us all.

Devastated to hear this, hope he's kept as comfortable as possible, do whatever you can together & enjoy every day as it comes.Sending you both love & hugs.

Just awful, so sorry Em. Puts our own problems into perspective

This is sad and terrible news. Life can be inexplicably cruel. My family and I send our hopes for a period of calm for you both. Like numerous others here we'll be thinking about you both and sincerely wishing there was something we could do.

Such devastating news, I'm so sorry to hear this. Keeping you both in my thoughts & sending love.

I read that & said one word which would have got removed if I typed it.

Everything has been said that I would.

Oh Em and Simon I feel for you with this devastating news. You have done everything you possibly could. This is so very sad. Like everyone else on here I’m holding you both in my thoughts with love and kindness.

I'm so sorry to hear this. I'm sure all our thoughts and prayers are with you both. Remember to take care of yourself too.

Nothing I can add, it's already been said. Sending you both love and hugs ❤️❤️

Best wishes to you both, take care of each other XX

My love to you both , words cannot express how sad I feel for you 😢 💙 ❤️ xxx

This is just so awful 😢

Enjoy every moment you are together (as we know you do) and the thoughts and best wishes of this whole community are with you xx

Heartbreaking news. 💕

To say I'm gutted is an understatement. Thinking of you both.

Not the news anyone wants to hear, and my sympathy go to both of you. Try to enjoy as much time as possible together, and you are constantly in everyones thoughts and prayers.

Such sad news Em. Not what anyone was hoping for. We are all thinking of you both and sending love.

I'm heartbroken for both of them. I know there's nothing anyone can say or do, so all I will say is that I'm thinking of them and sending all my love.

Worst news possible. So sad. Constantly in my thoughts. Gather your family round to support you at this difficult time.

So sorry to hear that, Em. I hope you've got plenty of support from friends and family.

Really sad news. I will be thinking about you both. Stay strong.

Oh Em, I'm so dreadfully sorry to hear this. I will be thinking of you both & hope Simon will be kept as comfortable as possible xx

Sending you all our loves and prayers Em ❤️🙏🏻

Oh Em, so sorry to hear this news. Like every one here, I shall be thinking of you both and sending strength.

I am so sorry to hear this news. My thoughts are with both of you.

Praying for you both.

So so sorry to hear your news. Take one day at a time, thinking of you both 💕

So so sorry to hear this Em. There are no words that can make any difference but my thoughts are with you both

Only when he forgets the tablets!

🧙‍♂️🧑‍🦯🤣

This is his day job

Don't give up the day job. :-)

That is awful even though it was thought out.

🤣🤣

Great catch up Beth! I actually visualise as I read & I did the walk with you. You were lucky at the vets, my lovely old rough collie actually made a large honking deposit the first time he went to the vet. He was about seven then. He was rather good at making deposits in unfortunate places, once his mind was made up he couldn't be moved, park benches, steps, anything that was the right height for him to hover his bum over. Oh the embarrassment. He also sprinkled the legs of three ladies who were talking outside the market hall, they were there when we went in & still there half an hour later when we came back out. Asking for it really! I'm sure that dog used to actually laugh! He did push Mr Tom into a pond when he was thrown a stick to fetch & deliberately tripped him playing football. Definitely my dog!

BTW any pet owners had problems with pet insurance? Ombudsman has decided in favour of the owners in 40% (I think) of cases where companies have reneged on policies or given misleading advice. Worth checking it out if you feel aggrieved by them

I shall repeat this to them like a mantra five times each every day.

I agree with samandi

I think you've done an excellent job getting them well trained so young. A well behaved dog is a joy.

Well done, Shadow & Storm!

I am chuffed to bits with them - I do about 5 mins a day with each one, either indoors or in the garden, and practise it at least once on a walk, which they get three times a day, and it all came together today. Mind you, it could have all gone wrong!

You are training them well Beth, what good pups they are.

@AJR I hope you feel better soon! 💞

Sending love and hugs to Em and Simon, in these extremely difficult times for them both x

Thanks also to Marie for letting us know.

Yes Little Owl good idea.Living with constant worry in the back of your mind must be tough.

I was also wondering, but didn't comment as I've not been to good myself and thought I'd missed the comments.

They could both do with a walk in the Forest with Beth and the puppies.

Thanks Marie, I was beginning to wonder if they'd been abducted by aliens, you know most of us worry if someone suddenly vanishes.

Thanks for the update Marie. Give Em and Simon all of my love, thinking about them..

Em has asked for this week off due to stress, which is completely understandable and which Chris has agreed to. It was a last minute decision, which is why she didn't give any advance notice as she usually does. Thanks for asking after her though, I know she appreciates how much you all care about her.

I noticed yesterday that I hadn't seen any comments from Em

I hope she and Simon had an appointment at Hospital! As the wait must be unbearable.

I was also thinking about Em, hope she's ok and we hear from her soon.

I was also thinking about Em, I don't think she's been on for a couple of days. I hope she's ok, maybe Simon has started his chemo.

I was thinking the same thing Jaffa, haven't seen her anywhere on site today.

🥳🥳🥳

well done, happy days !!!!

👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼🎉🎉🎉

Congratulations , hope you can get your car back up and running with your win 🥳 x

Well done. I hope you and your car enjoy the win.

Congrats Garfield, hopefully it won't cost more than that to fix, tax & insure, with a good bit left over for fuel, & you can get out & about again.

If you still have it & in good condition in 14 years, remember in the UK, a car must be over 40 years old to be exempt from paying road tax (Vehicle Excise Duty). This operates on a rolling system, meaning from 1 April 2026, vehicles built before 1 January 1986 are exempt. You must still tax the vehicle (change to "historic" class) even if the fee is £0.

Congrats! I think I need to go to spec savers as I read your comment as: "We can eventually get out 26 yr old cat fixed"!

So pleased for you.😄

Well done, treat yourself to some Lasagne once the car is fixed, Garfield.

You're very welcome, Garfield. I'm glad you can now get your car fixed 🎉

Congrats. Garfield. Enjoy using your car, after it’s fixed.

Congratulations - a great win, and perfectly timed…👍!

LLAP 🖖!

How wonderful for you (and your poorly car)

Congratulations on your win! Glad it came at a good time for you 🎉

Persistence pays! Well done, and congratulations

Awww congratulations 🥰

🎉 Congrats 🎉

Great news G, i'm so happy for you, here's to your next win..

Congratulations Garfield, lovely win. 💰👍😃

Congrats on an excellent win Garfield. Your patience and perseverance has paid off well.

Make sure you keep building your bonus so that your next win will be even bigger!

It may even come up again tomorrow. 😀

Congratulations! 🥳 I'm so pleased for you!

It just means that you didn't fit the demographics it was looking for, or that your demographic had already been filled.

With most surveys you're lucky to get 5p if you haven't been asked any questions!

Perhaps you were misheard?

They're great fun, dig a trench, put cones around it & put the backhoe away.

Everyone moans at the council, the council doesn't know what the complaints are about, traffic eventually gives up & finds another route.

Time for another trench.

Thank you to everyone who participated today and over the past week or so. I’m delighted to say I’ve surpassed 255 participants now! That’s an incredible number, not least for a student project. This survey will remain open till some time on Friday afternoon, so if you’re seeing this before then - feel free to take part!

Thanks lidlicker, love the name!

Just completed for you James. You only need 10 more now 😉

I have had that happen many times, but found last week that the bonus was actually awarded, it just said 'You have not qualified for any surveys at this time'. I rarely look at my bonus, so don't know if it has been awarded or not, but happened to have looked at it this time. It may be worth just noting what your bonus is before you start, then you can see if they have awarded it or not.

I complete one to three a week. As and when I feel like it. 😀

They’re not fake.

If you complete at least 80%, the FAQ pages tell you what to do if you don’t get the promised reward. If you get screened out earlier you’ll get 5p directly or later. Admin always ensure you get what you should but you do have to follow the instructions.

I enjoy the few I do and very happy with my bonus accumulating. 😊

@lygH - I stopped years ago. I only do ones now that pay out at least £10 an hour - which isn’t many

The only surveys created by us at PMP are the ones which reveal the winning postcode of the Survey Draw - https://pickmypostcode.com/survey-draw/. Anything outside of this is a survey made by another company. You will notice the different URLs indicating an external survey.

Sometimes you'll be screened out of a survey because you do not meet the demographic requirements. These could be anything such as age range, gender, location, employment status, where you shop etc. Or it could be that the bracket that you fit in to has had enough responses. The external surveys like to have an even amount of answers from each and each bracket type does not get completed at the same rate.

As the external surveys are advertised across many sites, there could be many people completing the surveys at once and it is possible that your bracket could reach its quota while you are in the middle or even at the end of the survey.

That is just the nature of market research. It doesn't mean that the surveys are fake and the answers from non-completed surveys are not used. Though of course it is up to you if you want to give them a go or not.

Our FAQs explain more about external surveys, including how we can help if you have reached 80% completion or beyond:

https://help.pickmypostcode.com/article/89-surveys

https://help.pickmypostcode.com/category/102-surveys

Please do email us with the details outlined in the first FAQ and we will be able to add the full amount or the difference if you have already received the 5p screen out bonus.

I offered to show stepson where we had gone for a walk but he said he didn't want to encourage her to jump in dirty water. I said he was on a losing wicket with that one - she's not only a labrador, but obviously takes after her father, so if he wants her to stay clean he's got the wrong dog. However, he said it's because of all the germs in the old puddles, and Poppy hasn't long been vaccinated, so I will give him the benefit of the doubt.

That puppy definitely prefers dirty water @Beth. 😂

Thanks for the updated photos Beth and Marie. 😍

Enver, don't give Beth any ideas! Lovely photos, thanks all for sending.

Amazing, they were wee scraps of fluff only a few weeks ago, now almost fully grown & investigating the big wide world. Great pics, reminds me of the time I was in the bath at my lady friends & her lab heard me, barged the door open, took one look & jumped in the bath with me. She since swapped it for a walk in shower so her dog can join her showering.. . Thanks Beth8it! & Admin for forwarding them.

Thanks Beth and Marie, great pictures 😀

Thanks for the latest pics B & M, very nice...

Poor soggy pup I hope she got treats.😩

😊😈

Good idea Beth. Yes, it is the stair lift advert. The child reminds me of a cousin if mine, about ten years or so my junior. She's still a mardy a**ed, manipulative creature. Needless to say I've told her so?🤣🤣🤣 Queue this side for fortunes told!🧙🧙🧙

Presumably the stairlift advert? Or is it not advertising stairlifts? Send said brat to fetch it herself! Her legs are younger than grandparents’.

I'm unsure what you're talking about, but how about using both hands then you get to slap both at once. I wish I'd been born an octopus.

PMP is only open to UK residents and we may ask for proof of this in the event of a claim. Please read the FAQ using the link that the first Anonymous has shared which explains all about the different draws and how they work.

Hope you are in the UK, cos we generally call them post codes here.

They have to be active registered members to be in the draws.

Stackpot & Mini Draw - 1st to claim gets it.

Other draws - money is shared between all claimants.

The FAQ Pages have numerous short informative articles on everything!

Try copying and pasting this link to a specific page detailing all 10 draws and how each works.

https://help.pickmypostcode.com/article/16-what-are-the-different-draws

@Bob up and Down - Umm.. No it isn't!. Centrifugal force does not exist, as you state. Centripetal does but is an inwards force which he has already referred to, in this case, as Gravity. The perceived outward force, commonly known as Centrifugal Force (incorrectly as you point out as it doesn't exist and isn't a force anyway!) is a result of inertia. This acts along the line of travel, and not outwards at all. It just feels that way as the path the centripetal force, in this case gravity, wants to pull along is inwards.

@ Enver, there is no such thing as centrifugal force. Centripetal is the word you are looking for. Your physics is correct though

What Beth was describing (standing at the north pole and turning in a circle) was a spherical circle (often shortened to circle) i.e. the locus of points on a sphere at constant spherical distance (the spherical radius) from a given point on the sphere. The circumference of a sphere is measured on a circle of the greatest possible length around that sphere (except that as noted the earth isn't quite perfectly spherical, but we treat it as if it is for the purpose of describing a circumference). So you could measure it round the equator or along any of the lines of longitude, but you could also stand anywhere on the equator and walk off at an angle to the equator, then keep walking in a straight line all the way round the globe and that would also measure the circumference. Any way you measure the circumference of Earth you will always pass across the Equator twice.

Any rotating body is subject to centrifugal forces that pull the extremities out a bit, ... compensation for this slightly pulls the poles in, ... & if it spins faster & faster it will be in danger of turning into a flat disc, then fly apart when centrifugal forces at any point are greater than the gravity holding it together.

If I don't take myself in hand I'll be bigger measured round the middle than round the ends too!🤣🤣🤣

Ah. Not the horizontal circumference then.

The polar circumference is like wrapping a piece of string round the earth over the north pole and the south pole. It's slightly less than if you wrapped the string around the equator, because the earth is a bit flattened top to bottom.

I'd have thought the polar circumference depended on the size of your feet - after all, you only have to turn on the spot!

Haha, nice one!

To be fair to Eratosthenes though... the difference between the equatorial and polar circumference values is 42 miles anyway, so he was almost within the error bars :)

Let me finish this year’s assignments (30th April and 28th May) then I can think about the Creative Writing course starting in October. Once I get back into the ‘arty-farty’ mindset, instead of ‘high literature’ that we’re doing now, it might be easier. In fact, we have to do a project as part of the final exam for that, so maybe I could use it for that.

Not impossible then @Beth going by Envers suggestion! 😊

🗣📢💻"Alexa, please search through all my PMP comments on "pups" in last 10? weeks, & make them into a funny story,.. Tell me when it's ready, so I can listen to it & make final alterations, then add photos before printing it out "🐕🐶📗 [Maybe not all at once, as AI can only follow exact simple instructions, & maybe no sense of humour].

The only way I could do that is print off all my posts on here!

Great idea@Longstocking. 😁

You should write a children's book about your puppies, Beth!

I thought you'd washed some of her colour out in the bath. LOL

Val, going by your avatar, you look like a Labrador person - you must be looking for a puppy? Storm would love a home with another lab…

Great photos Beth , Poppy definitely likes puddles or dirty streams . The bath water speaks for itself 🙈 . Thanks for all the updates , they are all beautiful pups and Indi is a good mum , just like yourself ❤️

I've sent these out now. The one of her in the bath is my favourite!

What a lovely area you live in Beth, such a great place for the pups to play in. Do keep them coming with updates on their progress, great entertainment and such sweet pups (most of the time! 😁)

Stepson kept Poppy in his rooms last night - first time away from the boys. He said she was very good, whined for a few minutes but went off to sleep, and her cage was clean overnight! We're making progress. Boys were very good too, only one heap each to remove, which is a big improvement. He took her out this morning and I took her with the boys at lunchtime - discovered Poppy is her father's daughter! Her dad, Yogi, absolutely loves water, leaps in with gay abandon from about 4' high, with an almighty splash, swims like a fish. Pops found her first big puddle today - after yesterday with the stream I hadn't thought much about water, and it's qute dry everywhere, but this is a yellowy-grey clay puddle... she ran through it, rushed back in and round the side, jumped in from the bank, stuck her nose in and searched under water... did I mention she is a very, very pale lemon labrador? Was... We got home, I dumped the boys in their crate and headed for the bathroom with her. Once she got over the initial panic as the water came in around her, and the warm water came through, she was fascinated, drank out of the tap, sat in it happily and was no problem. Apart from her face, which I didn't want to make too wet on her first time, in case it frightened her, she is back to normal colour now. Photos to Em shortly.

Sounds like they all give as good as they get.

I know I shouldn't be laughing, but that is so funny!

What! She’s an absolute thug! She sneaks in an grabs a leg or ear or tail, then when the other one is shrieking or snaps at her, then one who’s been lurking or happily joining in the bundle gets nipped by mistake and then retaliates, and the boys have a ding-dong… she bounces round yapping at them, safely out of range, then jumps on both of them. Hooligan.

Poor Poppy, brothers can be real bullies at times 😄

A porcupine?

Thanks Admin. I have no idea how I managed to miss 2 consecutive days but it explains the drop in my loyalty. Goodness knows where I was or what I was doing on those 2 days! 🤷🏼‍♀️ I worry about myself sometimes! 🤦🏼‍♀️ Thanks for taking the time to find out for me.

The Loyalty Score is calculated over 30 days. I have searched for your email address, Mrs Pea, and checked our Visit Log which shows me the past fortnight. You didn't log in on 10th or 11th April but have every other day. So that will explain the slight decrease.

No idea! If it's calculated on a 24 hour basis, it could be if you check early one day, forget in the latter part, then check again during the following late morning. But you said you check twice a day so maybe it's just a glitch. As you know, it's only a bit of fun.

For those who were unaware ...

https://help.pickmypostcode.com/article/81-what-is-this-loyalty-dial-all-about

https://youtu.be/IxaUdo89yIo

https://youtu.be/CCo1Ffn9_u8

And Kia Ora, awful sweet drinks in square plastic tubs with a straw.

Blast from the past. I really miss the P&D music on the odd occasions I still visit the cinema.

Yes me too - am I really that old? You will be messaging about Pathe News next.

🤣🤣

Thanks for reminding me how old i am. :-( .

Ha, ha - Thanks for a reminder of a distant memory!

I’m sure it learned its lesson.

One sunny Sunday in Ilford I spread out some small bits of bread on my lawn for the birds after mowing it & filling an upturned dustbin lid with water for them to bathe in, a good selection of them, maybe 30 came down, I was sitting watching them over a drink from the picture window in the lounge, including this big fat wood pigeon that was gobbling it all, .

Little did anyone know it was to be its last meal. The pigeon strayed a bit too close to the flowerbed & a bird of prey that was hiding patiently all the time amongst the flowers saw its chance & suddenly jumped out, grabbed & ripped it to shreds & flew off with the remains all in a few seconds. Served it right for being greedy.

I didn’t do a close examination- neighbour said today he found a decapitated pheasant, a bit torn up, in his field, so it definitely looks like a bird of prey - a fox wouldn’t take the head off and leave the body. Highly unlikely to be poison - none of our neighbours would do that, and we’re a bit remote for outsiders.

The bird could have been poisoned or got bird flu! Good job your pack of wolvlets didn't find it. If there was no sign of injury I'd have assumed the thing was sick.

Stepson told me after tea that there is a dead pheasant in the garden by the compost bin. Not sure what it died of - presumably taken down by the buzzard or sparrowhawk, and we have recently seen a red kite circling. I can't think what else might bring it down but not then pick it up and fly off with it. Not a fox - he could have got it easily, but it was in a confined area by the compost bin, stable and a big dumpy bag, so a big bird would have a heck of a job getting it out. Anyway, it was starting to pong a bit so I transferred it to the inside of the compost bin - termites made a beeline for the spot when I let them out afterwards. It can't have been there when they were outside this afternoon - the radar works too well, they'd have found it. .

That's good to hear, best let them all out last thing at night & 1st thing in morning.

Sorry, forgot about the Scottish Grand National 3.45@Ayr, slept it out, only 6 finished -

1st Kap Vert 20-1

2nd Git Maker 10-1

3rd Kim Roque 4-1 f

4th Isaac Des Obeaux 17-2

5th Chasingouttheblues 11-2

6th Promontory 13-2

I was getting off a bus a little while ago with a full and very heavy shopping trolley. As is often the case he'd parked with a gap but I always manage, only this time I'd got the trolley halfway off with the wheels just in the gap but he then decided to lower the bus so the wheels then trapped between the bus and the pavement. A few choice words went through my head. Luckily I quickly managed to yank it free before it dropped any further. What an idiot. Either drop it before people get off or make sure they're clear before doing so.

@Rosy - Most of our buses also have air suspension that raises or lowers the front of the bus to the same level as the raised kerb at most stops, problem is most of them are in a lay-by, & no matter how good the driver is (s)he cannot park it exactly parallel against the kerb without scraping it, & the unaccompanied wheelchair user still cannot cross the wee gap so a folding ramp has to be deployed.

There are low bridges & overhanging branches whacking the upstairs windows on most routes, that's why our country double deckers have a metal deflector bar on the top left corner.

I've even seen a short 30-seater single decker catch on a barrier turning left at a busy junction & almost rip a 15ft panel off his bus, the double deckers can swing round it, so why can't he?. Oh well, back to bus driving school.

My mum used to walk with a pram with my two brothers in it up over Butser Hill at Portsmouth, and when they were older they walked 3 miles to infants school when there was snow on the ground, no buses running, and they were about 5 or 6 years old. Mum was the teacher there, so no option to stay home!

Two points, the issue with a lot of modern prams is that they are basically a car seat strapped onto a chassis. They are quite fiddly to disengage and there are few buses with luggage compartments now.

Second a friend uses a power chair, for which there is one space on the bus for wheelchairs / pushchairs. She is often left behind at the bus stop because the space is taken up by someone with a foldable walker. These fold so that the person can sit in one of three spaces with extra room for foldable walkers.

Enver buses round this way, can be lowered by the driver to meet the pavement level, so no need for the bus driver to get out of his cab to put out a ramp.

Our buses only have a front double door where first they exit, then you enter & pay the driver (no change or tickets usually given). If there's a wheelchair he has to get out his cab & unfold a door ramp, then fold it up when the disabled is on board or the doors will not close. No wonder they're never on time.

Back in the 60's prams were massive, Silver Cross, but they used to have a thing called walking. People used it all the time to get from A to B, including pushing their prams. Look at the Brontë sisters and many others at the walks they'd take. Silver Cross still make prams but they also make the tiniest ones that will fold up.

Go, Kat - you and me both. Although there was a time when bus drivers (on single-deckers) or conductors on double deckers, used to get off and help the passengers lift their push-chairs on, then stow them under the stairs or in the luggage area.

I just can't see why prams are so damned big! In my day we had a folding pushchair & wouldn't have been let on the buses with it NOT folded. All the time we see wheelchair users being unable to use the buses because of the spaces being taken up by these things. Has there been some evolutionary blip that has made modern parents incapable of managing to hold a child on their lap? Please don't tell me that children are safer in the pram. In that case, WALK. Everyone else shouldn't have to accommodate you & the child you bore. Even if you think they should. Grrr! Oh, & if I want the seat near the front which your bag is on, which I will, even if there are loads of empty seats further down, I will point to it & say, 'Move the bag, please!' I'll wait until you do. I've always tried to be polite but I've stopped making allowances for selfish, ignorant people, if any age, gender or colour

Enlarge a picture of that icon and print it off. You could then sellotape it to your head or shoulder and hover close to the person sitting in your seat. May need to cough to attract their attention.

Eyes glued down to a glowing screen,

Ignoring the person who needs to lean.

With legs so strong and hearts so cold,

They sit in the space meant for the old.

Priority seats, but they don't see,

Too wrapped up in their own selfish glee.

I recently stood for a fairly short uncomfortable ride on a crowded bus, not far from a set of four seats with labels on the adjacent windows showing icons of persons with walking sticks. The four seats were occupied by three fairly young persons and a bag (hand luggage). I did not have a stick with me but considered pointing out that even without one I more closely resemble the icon than does a tote bag. Perhaps a folding stick could be handy at times.

Got on a bus the other day, every double seat full, person by window all busy on mobile phones & bags on other seat, had to ask them to shift it so I could sit down. About 3 months ago a guy in 30's actually gave up his seat for me as I looked like I needed it carrying my shopping.

Half the downstairs of buses these days is for prams & wheelchairs, one hourly double decker bus couldn't take a couple with a wee boy walking & a baby in a FULL SIZED pram as there was already one on board.

My mother was about a third blind with cataracts, & when she came to visit us in Dublin I went to Irish Blind Assocn & had a word with them, they managed to find her a folding white stick. LOL

I heard this some time ago, not sure if it's true but.... " A bus driver looked at the passengers on his bus and noticed a pregnant woman standing, he said "here love, you can have my seat till one becomes available", she got a seat quite quickly"

I thought it was clear, but thank you anonymous, you are correct. There was one available and one taken up by the youth. The driver instead of just having the lady sit, got the youth to get up so there were then 2 available seats. Try checking the maths JennieS, you'll see it's correct as I stated.

As a young-un I was always told by Mum to give up my seat to an adult, whether elderly (they all looked it to me, anyway) or not,and I have done it all through my life - not that I have used a bus regularly for years. Yes, they have all paid to be transported, but not to have a guaranteed seat, and it is good manners to teach kids - and shame other people - by saying in a loud voice, 'Here, you are welcome to my seat.' Then, when they are seated, say in a very martyred voice, while looking round at everyone else, 'I was brought up to give up my seat to others.It seems parents don't teach that any more.' They probably wouldn't hear you, though, with their phones blasting music into their ears.

JennieS…..have you traveled by bus in recent years?

Nick’s story is unusual in that anyone noticed what was happening and did something about it.

There were 2 seats behind the driver and the driver seated the two elderly passengers in those?

I used to always open doors for females as I was brought up in an era where that was the thing to do. Old habits don't die they say. Well now they do. As more and more "ladies" pass through my open door without any acknowledgement. Some didn't even look at me. So now they can open their own doors.

When my mother was young, and the buses were full, the conductress used to shout, "all children please stand". The seats which are supposed to be for people with mobility issues are not designed by people who travel on buses with shopping, are elderly, or have mobiiity issues. Don't think ethnicity, gender or age has anything to do with manners. Last time I had problems finding the higher seat near the front (which is easier to get off for me) there was a white middle-aged woman, with no shopping, sitting in it with her feet up and scrolling through her mobile phone. If it had been a youth I would have knocked his feet off the seat!

JennieS, I think the young lad gave up his seat for the lady and the older man stayed where he was sitting, behind the driver.

It's nice to see respect like this shown, you don't see it that often these days, unfortunately.

ANN... This doesn't make sense tbh.. How can one seat turn into two? One young Asian in the one remaining seat behind the driver had to be told by the driver to give up his seat for the 'woman' but then the old guy got a seat too?? So was the young guy taking up two seats? Not sure why ethnics come into the whole scenario either, (what about the old man and the woman, were they Asian too?). Basically I think what you're trying to say is that youngsters don't have the respect for their elders these days, which is true if they haven't been brought up the right way. But the story sounds totally believable to me. I'm confused why a bus driver telling a lad to give up a seat would be so unbelievable and shocking??

Extra Terrestrial?

I never thought of it like that! 😆🤪

It's good to see someone not blaming the government for the cuts.

Giggledsome!🤣

Arf arf!

Excellent.

Nice twist.

😂

Took a second or two. :-) :-) :-)

😂

I have shared this entire thread with my colleagues. The team can then decide on it.

Have a good day all.

What a spiffing idea? Here's something that's unbroken, let's fix it! Kind of what the people who keep tweaking the websites I use do, making them complicated, difficult & unwieldy. Yes, spiffing idea.🤣

... No, that bit came out of the Christmas Cracker - and you still don't know what it does.

My thoughts is, it wasn't broken to start with, I don't know why I took it apart, now I've no idea what goes where, and what's this funny little piece, did that come off this machine or was it in with all my tools but off something else.

I agree Cakey.

My thought is: If it aint broke don't fix it.

I understand @Beth8it. In my view, it would still be free, the entries would still have no cost whatsoever, the cost would be to skip adverts and be completely optional.

Therefore, I would assume no change in respect of a gambling licence.

My comment was addressing the comment that the site is not growing (therefore I should have said that in my comment, sorry PMP).

Well, it’s an option. I think it could work but I would probably stay as is, and I think it would still lose its uniqueness as a free site, apart from PMP presumably having to get a gambling licece.

Congrats to your daughter. 😀

My daughter won last week. I'm delighted for her. She's been a member for nearly 11 years. She encouraged me to join and I hope my postcode will be drawn one day too.

Small wins on this site? Or the other, payable, one?

You've had small wins? Many haven't won anything so count yourself lucky! 😊 At least your bonus has been added.

Any active account could win at any time. The system completes the draws from a database of active account ID numbers using a random number generator and the parameters of the smallest ID number to the largest. It then displays the postcode on the chosen account number as the winner of the draw. All it ‘sees’ is the account numbers of active members, it is not influenced by any other data or outside factors and is as random as a computer can be.

If a draw gets missed, the prize pot rolls over to the next draw and also members could build up their bonus to increase the amount which they could win. If they choose to do that.