February 8, 2001 12:31: Literary pun gave reporter a giggle

TOP BBC radio broadcaster John Waite has taken time out from his busy schedule to send me his favourite-ever headline.

John, who lives near Great Missenden, faxed me a message after my appeal for great headlines in Editor's Chair last week.

As a young radio reporter, his job was to go through all the London weekly papers for stories.

John, best known for presenting the documentary series Face The Facts, said: "I loved the headline in an Essex paper over a story about all the hundreds of volumes that had gone missing from the shelves of some local libraries.

"It read 'Book Lack in Ongar' Ongar, for poorly-travelled Bucks peasants, being a suburb in East London."

G Kitchener of Walters Ash also sent me in a super headline about a spy with a rude-sounding surname.

Sadly, I have to censor myself and I'm not able to print it in a family newspaper.

By.Steve Cohen