YORK'S outgoing Lord Mayor, Janet Greenwood, clearly enjoyed her year in office even if she did get a bit muddled over some of the highlights.

As she handed over the chains of office to her successor Janet Hopton, Coun Greenwood delivered a cheerful farewell speech at Guildhall.

The highlights of her 12 months, she said, had been Royal Ascot last June, the inauguration of Dr John Sentamu as Archbishop of York in November, and last July's celebrations of the 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.

But it seemed the Lord Mayor, who is also councillor for Derwent ward, may have got a tad confused over her wartime history, when she recalled fondly the wonderful "VD Day celebrations" which had taken place in the city.

According to one opposition councillor, the slip caused quite a titter among the assembled councillors and dignitaries.

The Diary assumes she meant to say "VE Day" unless, perhaps, she was simply reminiscing with glee on her own Victory in Derwent.

IT'S got to be a symptom of a world gone mad when a head teacher at a school in England bans pupils from flying the flag of St George during the World Cup for fear of being branded racist.

The case of Karen Healy, head teacher at the multi-cultural Birches Head High School in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs, who stopped kids bringing in St George's Cross flags, badges and stickers is surely political correctness at it's most ridiculous.

In a letter to parents, she wrote: "We will not let students wear flags, as these are used by the British National Party."

Nobody is denying that patriotism has its darker underbelly, but it also has its positive side and that is what World Cup Fever is all about flying the flag with pride.

Could someone please explain the following masterpiece of bureaucratic legalese and gobbledegook?

"A partner is a person with whom the applicant lives as a couple and includes a person with whom the person concerned is not currently living, but from whom he or she is not living separately or apart."

It comes from the legal aid form, which all defendants before the crown court must fill in or face paying all defence costs themselves.

The only problem is, they have to hire a lawyer to explain it, who will of course expect to get paid. Try getting legal aid for that.