THOSE of us engaged in the world of journalism do not always view Bank Holiday periods, particularly long ones, with undiluted affection. Put simply, news gathering slows down, and sometimes even grinds to a halt.

Decision-makers, reliable contacts, and all kinds of other useful folk on whom we often rely to inspire or confirm our work, disappear for up to a fortnight while the rest of us must soldier on.

While I am happy to report that the Evening Press has continued to set the standard for our rivals over Christmas and the New Year, even we had to do a bit of forward planning to ensure we kept our service to our readers at a high level over the festive period.

But for sheer creativity, and economical use of the resources available, I must pay tribute to our colleagues in the national press on how they managed to ensure a flow of exclusive stories during the holiday period.

I refer in particular to the sterling work done by the three so-called "Red Top" papers this New Year's Eve.

First, the Daily Mirror had emblazoned across the top of its front page, next to the word "Exclusive", a big picture of a smiling Coleen McLoughlin, promising the "frankest interview yet" with the lovely fiance of England football Wunderkind Wayne Rooney.

In it Coleen was telling the world how, despite her shopaholic reputation, she was not a sponger, worked hard, and her goal (geddit?) was to be an actress.

Well good for her and for them, I thought, and passed to The Sun, to be greeted by .... a picture of Coleen McLoughlin on the front page, with the promise of an "exclusive" interview on how Wayne "just loves her curves".

It was with a sense of expectation that I turned to the Daily Star. And what did I find? Yes, a picture of Coleen, admittedly somewhat smaller than the Mirror's, but still with the word "exclusive" next to it.

The exclusivity presumably applied to the pictures of Coleen not all being the same ones, and that she revealed different facets of her fascinating life to each paper.

The whole thing just makes you wonder what it will be like if Wayne succeeds in delivering the goods to his glory-hungry nation in Germany this summer.

THE French are known for their revolutionary zeal, and for manning the barricades at the drop of a cocked hat. But it seems that some of that Gallic spirit of rebellion may now be stirring in York.

The Diary has word that the Nunnery Lane area of the city may be about to proclaim itself an independent republic. Passport to Nunnery, anyone?

Hold on... stop press just in... Apparently it's all a mistake. Nunnery residents' chairman Keith Chapman has been going around talking about his new year revolutions. What he meant to say, of course, was his new year resolutions.

What a shame. It would have been nice to have at least one corner of York that was run by the people, for the people. Maybe that should be Keith's resolution next year.

Updated: 10:15 Tuesday, January 03, 2006