The Peterborough Evening Telegraph

Biting comments after a walk on the wild side

- Thornton on Thursday Written by Nigel Thornton

Ifeel the pain of Crystal Rudd, the young mum who ended up in Peterborou­gh City Hospital after being bitten by a spider. Loyal readers will perhaps remember that one of my claims to fame is that I was stung by a stingray on a San Diego beach (I haven’t mentioned this for a while after a plea from my wife and children to, and I quote, “please, please, pleeeeasse don’t tell that story again’’!).

You’ll be glad to know I made a full recovery although my family reckon one of the long term effects was it made me even more boring!

I hope Crystal makes a full recovery and her family show a bit more interest in her story!

SNAKE IN THE GRASS

Despite my near death experience with the irate ray, I’m a big fan of wildlife. I’m lucky in that I live close to Ferry Meadows and after a recent encounter with the friendly seal down by the rowing lake I reflected on how many different species I had seen there. Among my other sightings have been foxes, muntjac and other deer, otters and numerous types of birds.

Most spectacula­rly I once spotted what I’m sure was an adder.

I was on my bike on a path a bit off the beaten track when I saw what I thought was a stick on the ground ahead of me.

I was just debating whether I should cycle over it or stop and go round it when it shot off in that telltale zig-zag style. (Yeah, we’ve heard this story before too – The Thornton Family).

BRIDGING THE GAP

Good Friday saw us make a trip to Anglesey Abbey near

Cambridge and very pleasant it was too.

Our route took us down the A14 which I had not been down for some time.

I was struck by several footbridge­s at least some of which have sprung up during the recent improvemen­ts to the route.

They are stylish and striking (and no doubt still functional) unlike that monstrosit­y of a footbridge that links Longthorpe and Ferry Meadows which has been foisted on us.

I repeat the question: why does the Cambridge area always seem to get a better deal than Peterborou­gh.

And I repeat, I hope that when (or should that be if ) we do get a footbridge linking Fletton Quays and the Embankment we don’t end up with something that looks like something from the bargain bin at a bridge shop!

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 ?? ?? Sammy the seal basking at the Rowing Lake
Sammy the seal basking at the Rowing Lake

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