When 74-year-old John Molnar put a £2 charity donation into the bowl on Shepperton-based Bridge Marine’s stand at the London Boat Show, to give himself the chance of winning an outboard motor, he wasn’t terribly hopeful about his chances.

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote in this column about the rowing four which wrapped itself around one of the stanchions below Walton Bridge and was quickly turned into matchwood by the fast-flowing stream.

Many readers will remember, with great affection, Herald and News columnist Derek Belsey who, for many years, provided us with words and pictures about his favourite obsession – birds.

You sometimes wonder what goes on in people’s heads, don’t you? You probably read in last week’s Herald and News about the youngsters whose rowing four crashed into Walton Bridge throwing its crew into the water and totally wrecking the boat.