SO, lovely Alnwick has gained long-overdue recognition at last after being voted the place with the highest standard of living in the country.

North Yorkshire hardly got a look in but we can afford to be magnanimous. We can let the spotlight fall on neglected, undiscovered Northumberland while we revel in the secret knowledge that we have everything they have - and more.

Updated: 11:13 Thursday, October 31, 2002