SOMETIMES it’s best to count to ten before reacting. When something makes us angry, that time lapse can stop us making a fool of ourselves or prevent a chain of events which we are sure to regret.

I speak from experience.

Before coming to Hazlemere we lived in Colnbrook for several months after moving down here from the north. It was only ever a stop-gap home while we worked out how to get round the mile-wide gap in prices between the house we sold up north and what we could afford to buy down south.

Colnbrook is the pits. I know I shouldn’t dress it up like that, but it’s the politest phrase I can use in print.

My car was broken into five times in as many months and all the police could do was tell me that the village was a hunting ground for raiders from Slough.

So when our front door was pelted with eggs one night I failed to count to ten – I’m usually quite a laid back bloke, but by that stage I was a tad wound up.

I flung open the door and gave the retreating kids a piece of my mind. Big mistake.

Our front door then endured several weeks of bombardment.

So I really wonder about the wisdom of the police campaign to deal with the trick or treat season. ‘Bull’ and ‘red rag’ are the words that spring to mind.

It seems that our boys in blue, in their infinite wisdom have come up with a grand plan to take the misery out of Halloween fun.

They’ve spent time designing dubiously coloured posters that people could put up in their windows proclaiming: no trick or treat. Please do not disturb, thanks.’ So what do you think is going to happen if you stick one of those up in your window?

You’ve probably arrived at the same conclusion as me.

I’m also wondering how much money and desk time has been used putting this ‘campaign’ together.

The police didn’t stop at posters either. They advised parents to discuss with neighbours what sort of tricks and treats are acceptable for their children to use.

No doubt they are already preparing for the Christmas carol season with advice such as: please ask your neighbours what songs they want sung, will they breach their religious preference and would they like a musical accompaniment?’ There may even be a poster like: Carol singers clear off. Happy Christmas.

THE farming community shed a bit of light in the economic gloom at the weekend.

Despite suffering the wettest weather for 40 years, there has been a bumper wheat crop for farmers. It seems that the harvest is 32 per cent up on last year and a lot of it is premium grade quality, which is ideal for baking.

When we’re all about to join the breadline that is jolly good news.