WE are more than used to our towns being awash with litter, especially at the weekends.

So far, so normal. What’s slightly more irritating, especially for those who are more concerned with the fate of the natural world than the life of the urban streets, is the amount of rubbish left on our beaches these days – a mountain of it. It has become a significant problem according to the Dorset Wildlife Trust, especially items harmful to wildlife such as balloons. These can be swallowed by turtles which mistake them for jellyfish. What possesses people to dump their trash in and around beauty spots is beyond the understanding of most of us. But if anyone needs an incentive to stop damaging the local environment, they need look no further than the 15 or so dolphins which have made Poole Bay their home for the past week or so. The Dorset coastline is rich in marine life and it’s time we treated it with more respect.

l From a woman’s point of view, showing off a bit of leg isn’t the best way to catch a man’s eye, apparently.

Long shapely arms are considered more attractive than endless legs (even ones that go all the way to the ground), a study by Australian academics has found.

What???

If ever there was a classic example of some of the nonsense university researchers come up with, this must surely be it.