Whispering Smith Column published in the Littlehampton Gazette October 26th. 2017

SUNK: Littlehampton’s iconic fishing boat The Three Brothers slipped her moorings and capsized at Fisherman’s Quay last week. Refloated, pumped out and dismasted the old lady has been moved to a dry dock for restoration and some long overdue TLC. Built in thirties, a 28-foot gaff rigged Cornish crabber, she is beginning to look her age but I, like many other admirers, hope all is not lost and that she will return to the Quay and be moored there for many years to come.

SPEEDWAY track at Banjo road carpark is becoming more than a nuisance. Complaints of Late night joyriders roaring around the carpark at screaming high speed before zooming out into South Terrace only to return later. Ring the police? Forget it. Solution? Simples, close the carpark at night…

SHAKING in the dentist’s waiting for an extraction. Very nervous, first one out since a teenager. The lady beside me is also looking troubled. When I am called I offer her my place saying, ‘it is a far, far better thing that I do than I have ever done before…’ She gracefully declines my generous offer so in I go. An hour later the tooth was out, the root was out and I was out. Great dentist but I hope we don’t meet again any time soon.

SAD to learn of the passing of the actor Trevor Byfield better known to his many friends at The New Inn as Ziggy. A talented man, singer, writer and a lover of hats. Always with a tale to tell and latterly in ill health, telling me rather philosophically and with an easy smile, it was ok, he had had a lot of fun over the years. We can still catch him occasionally on TV in reruns of Golden Eye, The Knock, The Bill, Only Fools and Horses, among many others, usually playing a dodgy character which, in real life, he was anything but. So long, Zig, another good man gone…

Photo credit Christine Elson