Hands, knees and boomps a daisy!

MY HOMETOWN is about an hour’s railway journey to London. Fifty-five years ago, each train carriage had six compartments with a two rows of four narrow seats facing each other. This closeness meant that often your knees would be touching the passenger sitting opposite, but the most embarrassing part was trying to avoid staring at that passenger. I usually bought a newspaper and read it cover to cover to cope, but one day I forgot my paper, which meant I was left gazing directly at the lady opposite. My solution was to tilt my head back to look above her head, focusing on an advert. In an hour I must have read it more than 50 times. It said: ‘Welcome to the Norfolk seaside resort of Sheringham. Spend your summer holiday here. Phone this number for a free brochure detailing what we have to offer.’ When I got home, the phone number was still in my head, so I sent for the brochure and booked into the Grand Hotel. The owner welcomed us and there was a live band in the ballroom every evening. True to the brochure’s word, there were many reasons for going to Sheringham, such as the lovely shops, a theatre and cafes on the way to the beach. The promenade offered pony rides and a pond for the children to sail model sailing boats, plus a private railway with steam engines to Holt. Our family spent the next 20 summer holidays as well as Christmas in the resort. To think that if I had not tilted my head back, Sheringham would not be known to me.

Bob Hunt, Bengeo, Hertford.