WHAT a brilliant column: Saying goodbye to granddad from Matthew Woodcock (Evening Press, April 16).

My own grandparents were magnificent. Unfortunately, I didn't have them long enough.

John's grandma and confidence-booster, Maria - she became 'Lalla' when telling fortunes - was with him for much longer. She outlived three husbands.

Maria's grandson tells me he was never short of a shilling or two to spend at York's many picture houses, had his liquorice all-sorts in boxes not bags and that grandma always called him (would you believe?) "My little prince."

Margaret Lawson,

Aldborough House,

The Groves,

York.

Updated: 11:15 Wednesday, April 21, 2004