HAVING ventured forth from my cave-like existence, on the morning of the eclipse, during gardening duties, before the phenomenon proceeded on its course, it was noticeable that an eerie silence ensued from our animal and feathered friends, domestic or otherwise, followed by reveille and a wake up call with a mixture of shrill, bird songs and a barking of dogs, after passing.

From this, one can assume that we are not at world's end and the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s budget was not all doom and gloom, and I can turn my central heating up one more notch and pull yet more than one rabbit out of the hat and look forward to another equinox before my eclipse.

Kenneth Bowker, Vesper Walk, Huntington, York.