* Our 19-year-old son, Tom, has just pre-ordered his copy of the latest Harry Potter from the local shopping mall where it is on sale from midnight Friday (beating his 14-year-old sister to it). He plans to read through the night to reach the final page, in a bid to win an (as yet unspecified) prize - but probably involving a pint - from other university friends. This may well involve reading on a north-south coast train journey en route to a holiday job which he “can’t start till I’ve finished the book anyway”. The losers, following the current trend, will be notified by text message.

Becky James

3 Weston Avenue

Fellside, Whickham, Tyne and Wear