IT'S official - dads are the heroes of the world. I've always said it and now I've been truly vindicated.

In a national Father's Day competition, children were asked to draw pictures of their heroes and give reasons for their choices.

Nearly 40 per cent - yes 40 per cent - drew their dads. David Beckham lagged well behind in second place with a mere five per cent, while Superman came third with only four per cent. Batman, Harry Potter, Fireman Sam, Bob The Builder and Father Christmas all figured but are hardly worth a mention.

One of the winners, Leanne Grisbrooke, aged eight, from Oxford, summed it up when she wrote: "My Dad is my hero because he makes me laugh. He loves me lots and I loves him too. When he picks me up from school, he takes me to the park. He cooks dinner, he washes up. He's a burping expert and blows off a lot. He is a champion and supports Arsenal."

Yes, a real hero.

It wasn't quite as conclusive when I did my own survey in our house.

Christopher 12, couldn't think of a hero. "Are you sure?" I asked, giving him a knowing wink.

"Nope, can't think of one," he said before rolling over and going back to sleep. (He's a teenager next week).

Hannah, 11, fresh from a shopping trip, plumped for the man who makes Thorntons chocolates and Max, aged six, went for Thomas The Tank Engine "because he stopped the dam from flooding". How can a train be more heroic than me?

But Jack, 11, got it right - eventually. To start with, he agonised between his Arsenal favourite Thierry Henry and Wimbledon champion Lleyton Hewitt before deciding on his good old Dad.

"Why?" I asked, fishing for compliments.

"Because you took me to the England match," he replied...

From the moment the ticket hotline opened for the England versus Slovakia match at Middlesbrough, I hit the redial button over and over and over and over again. After nearly half an hour of rising blood pressure, I finally got through and, shaking with excitement, booked four tickets for me and Jack and his friend Ben and his dad.

I phoned Jack as soon as he was home from school: "Jack, I made it through," I gushed, as if I'd survived an epic trek through a jungle infested with cannibals, poisonous snakes and man-eating lions.

"Are we really going to see England?" he said and could hardly get out another word.

June 11, 2003 - the day I took my little boy to see England - will live with me for ever. It's what being a dad is all about.

He and Ben were like identical twins: both in their England shirts with number 9 and ROONEY on the back; wearing floppy England top hats; their faces painted with the Cross of St George.

As Arsenal supporters we normally have to keep quiet at football matches in the North-East, but last week we were joyously unfettered.

We sang until our throats were sore: "ENGLAND 'TIL I DIE, I'M ENGLAND 'TIL I DIE... RO-O-O-ONEY, RO-O-O-ONEY, RO-O-O-ONEY... ONE MICHAEL OWEN, THERE'S ONLY ONE MICHAEL OWEN... RULE BRITANNIA, BRITANNIA RULES THE WAVES..."

God, it was fantastic. OK, we were worried when we were one-nil down at half-time but Michael Owen - ONE MICHAEL OWEN, THERE'S ONLY ONE MICHAEL OWEN - came to the rescue with two goals and we went home gloriously happy.

Jack had to have his face paint washed off before he went to bed but the smile couldn't be erased. Unprompted, he gave me a cuddle, looked me in the eye, and said: "That was the best night of my life. Thanks for taking me, Dad."

Eat your heart out Thomas. You might have stopped the dam from flooding but I got tickets for the England match. You're just a train - I'm a hero.

THE THINGS THEY SAY

CHARLOTTE had been to Teesdale sports centre with her brother for a swim.

"Did you enjoy yourselves?" asked mum.

"Yes, it was great," said Charlotte. "There was a huge blow-up octopus in the pool and you could climb all over its testicles."

...From a Barnard Castle mum whose daughter Charlotte would rather remain anonymous as she's so embarrassed!

WE'D gone for a drive to Whitby to see The Endeavour, and our eldest, having noticed a road sign out of the car window, said: "Oh, Robin Hood's Bay."

"Don't be stupid," replied Max, aged six, indignantly, "Robin Hood's not gay!"

Well, he did have a band of merry men...

THE THINGS DADS SAY

"This is not a dry run, this is your life. You only get one crack at it and you only get one chance to be there when your children are growing up." - Darlington MP Alan Milburn, as he resigned as Health Secretary.

www.thisisthenortheast.co.uk/dadatlarge

Published: ??/??/2003