GREG Dyke's had a busy old year. He became Chancellor of his alma mater, York University. As Director-General of the BBC he fought Tony Blair - and Tony Blair won.

Then to capitalise on all the fuss he rushed out his autobiography, Inside Story.

And rushed is the operative word. It seems he had no time to check his facts.

That is the only explanation for a couple of blunders when Greg recounts his well-worn tale of how he sued this newspaper for libel during his time as an undergraduate.

In the book he describes this as his "most memorable financial experience at university". The Evening Press had reported that a printer had refused to print the student newspaper because an article Greg had written was obscene.

It was true that the printer would not print the paper, but not because of Greg's article about a campaign to legalise marijuana in California.

"I asked for an apology but the editor of the Evening Press, unaware that he was dealing with a student who had trained as a journalist, refused," he writes in Inside Story.

"So I decided to sue. In the end I got a full apology, all my legal costs and £250 as an out of court settlement.

"Given that a full grant in 1974 was just £420 this was a good day. My girlfriend at the time, later my wife, Christine Taylor and I had a good summer in France on the York Evening Press."

So far, so fair. But he wouldn't let it lie.

"There is a postscript to the story. In 2003 I was invited as Director-General of the BBC to be a guest speaker and present the awards at the York Evening Press Annual Business Awards.

"As DG you get hundreds of similar invites, but this was one I couldn't resist.

"Clearly no one at the paper was aware of the history; in my speech I told the whole story."

Just a couple of points, Greg. You presented the business awards in 2002, not 2003.

And most people at this newspaper were perfectly aware of the libel business long before your invite was sent. In fact, we ran the full story in August 2000.

No wonder Greg looks like he wants to shoot himself during a visit to the university in our photograph by Garry Atkinson.

Perhaps you now realise, Greg, that even the best of journalists make mistakes...

CHRISTMAS is soon over. This week, the Diary has received our first press release about... Valentine's Day.

Updated: 11:17 Friday, December 10, 2004