THE Diary enjoyed catching up with Andrew Simpson who, as a boy, created all manner of magic in his garden. Now 20, Andrew is involved in the very grown-up world of antiques, a report in Saturday's paper revealed.

In his teenage years he was regularly featured in the Evening Press for setting up his own museum, creating a mini-Jurassic Park and building a working cinema in sheds at the bottom of the garden.

His museum was even featured on live TV, when Channel 4's Big Breakfast called unannounced for a tour.

As a fellow shed enthusiast, the Diary salutes Andrew for showing what they are capable of. And here are our favourite uses for sheds, aside from Andrew's own, in a list we could not resist compiling...

Our shed seven

1 John Warlock's shed home where he lived next to the Theatre Royal in the 1990s - until the theatre evicted him

2 Chris Philipson's shed in Knaresborough filled with 30 historic lawnmowers

3 Any well-loved allotment shed

4 The giant engine sheds at the former carriageworks

5 Askham Byran College's robotic milking shed

6 Roald Dahl's shed - where he wrote all his classics, including Danny The Champion Of The World

7 The Shed arts centre, now located at Hovingham Village Hall, which, we read in Friday's paper, will soon feature, "the gritty evocations of Okna Tsahan Zam's Mongolian Khoomei". See you there.

OUR recent feature on the major restoration of York Minster's east end was enjoyed by John Robson, of Dringhouses, York.

"But a very common mistake was made describing the photographs," he writes to the Diary. "Although very badly worn, I think they are not gargoyles but grotesques."

He explains by way of a challenge.

"Ask one of your photographers to take photographs of the people whose handsome or beautiful faces usually grace the top of their columns - but with a difference.

"For the purpose of this exercise they will need to put in a great effort to appear really ugly." Are you sure, John?

"Their faces will be grotesque - but only those whose mouths are open will resemble gargoyles.

"A gargoyle is a special form of grotesque, because its function is to throw water away from the building, and a pipe leads to the open mouth."

YORK'S museums are great, but found in the most inappropriate places.

At least according to website 24hourmuseum.com, which gives out this address: "Micklegate Bar Museum, Micklegate, York, YO1 6JX, Buckinghamshire, England."

WE have another suggestion for someone who ought to be honoured by their bust being placed in a niche at York Central Library.

An anonymous emailer has this nomination: "How about having a statue of Frankie Howerd? He is one of the all time comedy greats and the city seems to have all but forgotten that he was born in York."

The Diary is shocked to note no one has yet put forward Saint Douglas of Craig. More suggestions please.

Updated: 11:00 Monday, January 24, 2005