Chief Reporter Mike Laycock was delighted to receive a remarkable offer by email the other day from Madiba Radebe, a "relatively brother" to the Hon. Minister of Transport, Republic Of South Africa.

He tells Mike he has been given the mandate by the Honorable Minister to "secure a reliable experienced business entity in overseas through whom we can auction to his company the bellow described materials urgently."

He reveals: "The materials involved is Used Train Rail Scraps with the Specification of R50 & R65 as conformed to the ISRI Codes. The Origin: South Africa. Quantity: 120 000 MT (One hundred and Twenty Thousand Metric Tons."

He goes on to say the scrap rail consists out of the "used rails scraps from the South African Railway Commuters Corporation," and reassures Mike: "All materials are totally free from any types of radiation; bombs, arms and ammunition, and explosive in any form either used or otherwise." Phew, that's a relief.

But even so, Mike thinks he'll pass up on this extraordinary opportunity, at least on this occasion.


The other day The Press carried a warning from North Yorkshire Police about a Spanish lottery scam hitting homes in our region.

Letters purporting to come from El Gordo de la Primitiva lottery in Madrid or another Spanish lottery are being sent round, with recipients told they have won - and should provide their bank account details "to release the funds".

Needless to say, it's all nonsense, and the prize never materialises. In fact, often the exact opposite happens - your bank balance dematerialises. The Diary can only hope no readers have fallen for it.

But one reader in particular was well-placed to spot the scam - he's Spanish. Perhaps fearing another bombardment of junk mail, he didn't want to give his name, but the York resident said he was able to see straight through the con.

"It didn't look at all right. There was a phone number with a Spanish code on the letter, but I thought what's the point ringing it?'. They'll have to try much harder if they want to trick me."