As I sit at my keyboard this morning, there is a pleasant gale blowing up the English Channel and our local beaches have overnight become woodyards! From Ramsgate to Broadstairs a few hundred tons of timber have been washed up on the beaches. Originally the timber fell off a Russian freighter in a storm a few days ago, and has slowly been floating up the Channel headed for the North Sea. What I don't understand is why the police, coastguard and local council are out in force and preventing the local citizenry of East Kent from helping themselves - a sort of of Whisky Galore only with planks of 4"x2"! Surely this would help to remove the timber off the beaches much more quickly, and at no cost to the taxpayer? As ever, the authorities are playing spoilsport and demanding that no-one touch the wood. Of course they are quoting Health & Safety as the usual catch-all for preventing anyone from getting something for free. If it's left to the council, then there could still be plenty of timber on the beach for Broadstairs folk festival, so don't bother with a tent this year as you will be able to make your very own log cabin! ;-)