The hardest word SIR – For some time now, physicists have been debating the point on whether our universe is composed in the main of a mystery substance termed ‘dark matter’.

Fortunately for us lower mortals, we have more mundane things to occupy our thoughts, ie whether the corridors of power are endowed with that all-important substance ‘grey matter’.

Our Justice Minister Crispin Blunt put forward a plan recently to allow offenders to say sorry to the victims of crime, thus avoiding prison sentences.

Can we picture the scenario in court? The defence counsel – ‘Your worship, my client would like to express his deep and sincere apologies, but unfortunately your worships, ‘sorry’ is a word of five letters, and my client is usually accustomed to the four-letter kind’.

Terry Tordoff, Calderstone Avenue, Buttershaw