I AM intrigued, no doubt along with many others, how the chief executive of Darlington Borough Council, Ada Burns, earns £178,603 per year.

While most people would like to ask her questions about their bin collections, and the usual lunacy that the town hall leads us into, I would like to ask her if she could lend me a tenner?

Big Jim and I have to go back to Dusseldorf soon, and that would pay for our first round of refreshments at the airport.

Mind you, I doubt that she would need it back. Get the drinks in, Ada, chuck. Our thirsts need quenching.

Christopher Wardell, Darlington