A big thanks to all who attended last night’s switch on of Beckworth’s Christmas lights and patiently stood around in the dark as the event was delayed by 2 hours due to a power cut. Thankfully it was caused by a dodgy light bulb blowing fuses on the high street and the big switch-on went ahead thanks to Nick Knowles changing a fuse. The crowd were thrilled when Joey Sussex (local Joey Essex tribute act) finally flicked the switch lighting up almost a third of the high street. Now all we need is snow for it to feel like Christmas. G. Grimsby. Mayor
Cuddly Toy Inventor To Marry For Seventh, Or Eighth, Time
Breaking toy news just in… Local resident, 97 year old Edna Cumberbatch, is to marry husband number seven, or eight, in the new year. A very excited Edna says she has lost count of the marriages and divorces she’s had, but she still believes in love. And sex. Sprightly Edna said her new husband is 78 years her junior and doesn’t speak English, but thankfully he is very “gifted” in other areas. Mrs Cumberbatch, already a mother of 14, says she hopes to have more babies and will start trying on her wedding night. She is of course famous Worldwide as the “mother” of thousands of babies already as she’s the inventor of the Cumberbatch Dolls, which made her a multi-millionaire and quite a catch. She invented the ugly yet cuddly vegetable dolls as a present for a baby Prince Charles (who she’d noticed loved talking to veg and plants) when she was the Queen‘s Lady of The Water Closet. Many famous people own the dolls, even ex-premier Gordon Brown is said to be an ardent collector. But oddly her Grandson Benedict says he doesn’t like them much. Thankfully on the subject of the wedding he was more positive “I’m honoured to be reprising my role of page boy, for the third time, and I may even wear my old Dr Who clobber up the aisle.” Good luck with the baby making to Edna and fiance Mohammad. Christine Batley. Chief Elderly Wedding Correspondent. Beckworth Guardian
(Above) A visibly thrilled Benjamin Cumberbatch cuddles two of his Gran’s dolls
Local Apprentice Still On Track To Win
Well done to local lass Leslie Warwick as she once again ducked getting fired from TV’s The Apprentice. This week Lord Al Sugar kicked a record three candidates off the show as they really were c**p. And although Leslie was back in the boardroom for the sixth time and the cause of the teams failure to win Sugar sent her back to the house. Reminding him she had a very compromising photo of him certainly helped save her. It won’t be long before she wins the series and becomes Lord Als’ new business partner. Her plan is to open a large ventriloquist’s dummy shop in Beckworth. Good luck Leslie. Yours sincerely, Valerie Saddleworth CBE. Chairlady. The Beckworth Guild of Trade & Commerce
The Big Switch On Tonight
Hello all. Just a reminder that tonight at 8pm a surprise “celebrity” will be switching on Beckworth’s Christmas lights. I’m sorry to say that due to council budget cuts we can’t afford any one really well known (most Z-Listers are in Australia at the moment getting ready for I’m A Celebrity…) nor are there many lights up this year. But it should look ok if you squint and make the town feel very Christmasy… G. Grimsby. Mayor
Diwali Starts Today
Hi to all. Today is the start of the Festival Of Light Diwali and the town will be throwing open it’s doors to light seeking visitors. We’re not literally asking residents to leave all doors wide open, as it’s too cold and too tempting to burglars, but maybe leave some ajar or at least unlocked? Also, we are asking all residents to keep all their lights on and burn candles all day and all night in celebration. Or shine a torch out of an open window at any passing strangers. Have a very happy Diwali. Yours Natalie Clifton, Tourist Information
(Above) Why not arrange your candles in a pattern to celebrate Diwali
Armistice Day. The 11th Hour, The 11th Day, The 11th Month
Outrage As Local Celebrity Will Not Be Appearing In The Jungle
Dear all. I’m sure you are all as outraged as me that my cousin Jack-A-GooGoo will not be appearing on the new TV series of I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here. Producers have said that Jack is not a celebrity! I disagree as he’s better known than Lady Colin Campbell who’s going to be on. No one’s ever heard of him… And I’d like to see this Colin eat kangeroo b******s and scorpion’s willies in the bush tucker trial. Jack would scoff them as he’d be too p****d to notice. Rumour has it that Jack’s good friends Lord Sugar, Mary Berry and her son Paul Hollywood will be in the new series, and they’d love Jack to be with them. He’s such good fun when he’s drunk. Which he always is. But not to be outdone by smart-arse TV people i’m going to start fundraising to get him flown out to Australia so he can sneak into the jungle unannounced. That will give those dwarves Ant and Dec a shock! So please help me with the fundraising and let’s get Jack back on TV. And of course whilst Jack is still in this country he is available to sing at weddings, births, divorces, etc. so give me a ring to book him.
Thanks Nelly Ryde (Jack’s manager, survival trainer and shelf-stacker in 99p Land)
(Above) Jack managed to get on set with Ant and Dec in the UK recently, which as can be seen made them very happy
Naturist’s Christmas Outing
Hello. This Christmas your local naturists, the Beckworth and Slocombe branch, are having a “no clothes allowed” day-trip to Europe’s capital of naturism Bournemouth. The day will include getting two trains there (changing in London), a skinny-dip in the sea, betting on the pier’s slot machines (we need to check there is a pier), and fish and chips on the beach (we’re hopeful there is a beach, if not we’ll sit in a cafe). But the icing on the cake will be an evening watching and shouting obscenities at the UK’s first naturist panto, Nudes In The Wood. My close friend Wayne knows the producer and she says it’s going to be a family friendly panto, with lots of songs and will star one or two celebrities, though none have confirmed yet. So you why not join us on our naked fun day out? Lunch is included in the price of the day trip, which is only £334 per person. At the moment we’re not sure of a date, but it will be in December so keep that month free. Lionel T. Worton. Secretary. Beckworth and Slocombe Naturists
(Above) Bournemouth; the ideal destination for a December skinny dip
Remembrance Service Today
Dear flock. Just to remind you that today’s remembrance service will be at 2pm today, followed at 3.15 by a procession from the church to lay wreaths at the War Memorial. The procession will be led by myself and the regional head of scouting Sir Bob-bob-bob-dib-dib-dib Geldof leading his crack troupe of scouts, brownies and cubs.
Please join us for both the service and procession this afternoon. May your God be with you, Cyril Knutsford. Vicar. Beckworth St Faiths
(Above) Sir Bob A Job Geldof, regional scout leader
Ooops
Hello all. Last night’s Bonfire night was a roaring success, so many thanks to all who could be bothered to come along. It may have been very poorly attended and a scaled down event compared to previous years, and lacked a bonfire, but thanks to a discarded sparkler setting alight the uninsured priceless 1957 Barbara Hepworth sculpture “Two Very Big People’s Heads” we had a real fire to throw an effigy of Guy on to after all. Great stuff. G. Grimsby. Mayor
(Above) The priceless Barbara Hepworth sculpture on fire last night







