When my wife Chris and I were last in my home town of Penicuik, near Edinburgh, visiting family, our sister-in- law Jessie had just had smoke alarms fitted, and suggested we should do the same. Not having given it much thought, we phoned Taunton fire service for advice, at which point they offered to come to the house to assess our needs.

A fire engine, fully manned, duly turned up, and two members of the team came in and forewarned us they might have to make a dash for it if they got a call-out. Very exciting, we thought — but it didn't happen, so they got on with the questionnaire and took a look around the house to assess our risk factor, which fortunately was not too high.

There and then, they fitted some smoke alarms – and we were very surprised to learn these and the whole service we had received were free. But most important was the peace of mind it gives us, especially since we have two young grandsons often in the house.

To anyone who has not already got smoke alarms, go on, phone your local fire station and arrange for a visit. The firefighters themselves believe their visits and the installation of smoke alarms will save lives in the long run.

The boy from Frome did well these past two weekends, against all the odds and predictions of Formula One's so-called experts. If there was one thing they did not foresee, it was back-to-back wins in Australia and Malaysia for Somerset's own Jensen Button, pictured.

After all the hype surrounding last year's well-deserved success of Lewis Hamilton, Jensen has reminded us he was the one winning all the plaudits not so long ago. Keep it up, boy, and ignore some of the drivers who have got the hump and already started moaning that you have some kind of unfair advantage. Take no notice. It's known as sour grapes.

Good luck to the Browning boys, Richard and Stephen, who with their wives Leonie and Sally have reopened the Rose and Crown at Stoke St Gregory a year after it was destroyed by fire.

Many years ago I used to visit this excellent pub and eating house quite often, when the boys were just whippersnappers and the place was run by their parents, Ron and Irene.

Some of you regulars might remember there was a photo of the Wurzels permanently on display on the bar after we had done a gig in Willard's Barn, nearby. Perhaps you need a new one, lads, unless the old photo was as durable as the handsome band portrayed in it.