CHILDHOOD is gone all too quickly. That's why it should be a precious time of happiness and innocence.

Unfortunately, we live in an age in which youngsters grow up far too quickly, with underage sex producing unwanted babies, and make-up and fashion becoming obsessions before primary school has been left behind.

Yesterday, The Sun led its front page on a story about Zoe Birkett, the Darlington 16-year-old who has shot to fame through the television talent show Pop Idol.

The basis of the story under the banner headline "I Don't Need A Man" was the fact that, at 16, she is a virgin and plans to stay celibate for at least a few more years.

Speaking to The Northern Echo yesterday, Zoe told of her anger and bewilderment at the treatment of her comments in The Sun.

"I've never been boy-crazy like other girls my age. All I want to do is sing," she is quoted as saying.

Good for her, but what does it say about our society that the biggest-selling newspaper in Britain considers the most important story of the day to be the fact that a 16-year-old girl hasn't had sex and doesn't intend to until she's older?

Adulthood arrives soon enough. Let the young enjoy their childhood for as long as possible.

DESPITE the heart-felt warnings about the impact on public services, the Government has released precious little extra cash for hard-up local authorities.

In Durham County Council's case, the protestations were worth an extra £4,000. Out of a £390m budget, that represents loose change and, for the officials who travelled to London to deliver their case, it was hardly worth the train fare.

That particular council, which claims to be in its worst financial position in 20 years, has already warned that a 17 per cent council tax increase lies in wait unless the Government was prepared to listen.

Some very tough decisions will now have to be made in towns and cities around our region as a disproportionate slice of the cake is fed to the marginal constituencies in the south.

The controversy is only just beginning...