THE North-East gave the railways to the world. How ironic then that our region should now have to look to the other side of the globe to fill a chronic skills shortage affecting the British rail industry.

Amec, which has bases in Darlington, Sedgefield and Wallsend, needs to recruit more than 150 experienced railway staff. Just the job for a region hit harder than most by the manufacturing crisis and decline of traditional industries. Or so you might have thought.

Instead, Amec's rail division has been forced to advertise in New Zealand in the hope of finding workers who can meet its needs.

It is further proof that the cutbacks on the rail network - cutbacks which have led to mounting safety fears - have gone too far. Experienced men were dispensed with, they moved on, took their skills with them, and now they can't be found.

It is in all our interests that the recruitment drive is successful because the rail infrastructure is in desperate need of attention. We therefore hope the advertising campaign Down Under proves successful.

But in the longer term, Britain has to address the need to find and invest in a new generation of rail engineers through a cohesive skills strategy.

There is a gap to be filled and scouring the world for makeshift solutions can only be a short-term fix.

Good old Tom

ANYONE who survives in the entertainment industry as long as Tom Jones has real talent.

This is the age of manufactured pop idols who won't last five minutes - the demise of Girls Aloud being the latest example.

But Tom is the real thing which is why he has retained his popularity through four decades and is still going strong.

He has adapted to the trends along the way but the quality of his voice has always been the key to his success.

He fully deserves his lifetime of achievement honour at the Brit Awards at Earls Court last night.

If only he would grow old a little more gracefully...