If amateur photographers Jimmy Douglas and Gordon Jackson set their sights on you, you're in trouble. The happy snappers have a nasty habit of walking into sticky situations.

They enjoy travelling the country photographing famous bridges for their portfolios. But on their last two trips they found themselves observing more than just a pleasant view. When the pair journeyed to London two weeks ago they were stopped in their tracks as they tried to cross Westminster Bridge - because it had been closed due to a man wielding a placard and threatening to jump.

A week later, the pals, both members of Selby Camera Club, were in Newcastle heading towards the Tyne, when they realised the bridge had been closed because of another suicide threat.

"It is a bit strange," said James, 66. "We felt as if we'd brought bad luck with us on our visits. I just hope no one was hurt in either of the episodes."

James said: "Gordon managed to get a picture of the man standing on the bridge - but we couldn't see what he was protesting about."

Customers come in all shapes and sizes at Mark Band's little newsagent's shop opposite our command post in Walmgate, York. Now he has a couple of regulars with webbed feet. It started with a lady duck waddling in and browsing through the magazines. Mark's lovely assistant laid a bread trail to shoo her out, but the friendly mallard took it as a free meal and now comes back for more every day - with her boyfriend.

"It's been going on for weeks and she is totally at home in here, even when other customers come in," said Mark. "She just looks up at us, has something to eat and leaves.

"She was a little bit thin at first but we are gradually fattening her up - for Christmas. We've got the orange."

So what's in a name? When the Evening Press becomes "The Press" on Monday, at least we'll be changing to a handle that people have used for years.

It's a little dizzier in the heady world of hotel names. The skyscraper riverside hotel in North Street recently threw us all into confusion with a name change. It started life as the Viking Hotel and just as we were getting used to it being called the Moat House - even though that conversion was many years ago - it's all change again.

There are new signs plastered over the entrance announcing that the hotel is now the Park Inn. That's fairly easy, but what's the Royal Station Hotel called these days?

Updated: 10:07 Friday, April 21, 2006