Ice advice

Millions of Brits spend each week sat inside watching Dragon's Den.

A programme which exercises the creative minds, promotes innovation and competition to solve every day problems with unique solutions.

Now the snow blizzard and slippery ice conditions have gripped the nation, it would be good if the budding inventors could think of something useful.

Instead of wheely suitcases, instant chip makers and finger painting for kids, why hasn't anyone invented slip-proof shoes or tyres that can't get stuck?

What about approaching Duncan Bannatyne with a formula for instant grit?

Maybe even a battery-powered mini David Cameron with an axe that can cut through the toughest of ice blocks.

Or wind-up plastic hot headed footballers like Joey Barton and Wayne Rooney who could clear driveways by stamping on the ice with their size 10 predators.

And if your vehicle gets stuck in the snow, what better way to fix it than a blow-up Simon Cowell doll, which you put under the car and inflate its head 100x.

My personal favourite would be the Jedward teddy, which when pressed, would hurl out a piercing screech, cringeworthy enough to crack even the toughest of ice spots.

Ice Ice Baby!

X-Factor - John Lennon would be turning in his grave.

By David Raven

Tonight is the first Saturday night in the last 15 weeks without the X-Factor.

Like all good things, it must come to an end.

But people shouldn't be quick to forget that the show doesn't stop at just 'reality TV'.

If Simon Cowell gets his wish and X-Factor winner Joe tops the charts tomorrow, then it will be our fifth successive X-Factor Christmas number one.

So what does this say about the British youth and the music industry?

Long gone are the days when our talented youngsters like the Beatles and Oasis create new sounds in their bedrooms in the hope of creating groundbreaking new music.

As now the same teenagers join the Wayne and Waynettas of our country in flocking to the nearest X-Factor audition in the hope of being this years hot celebrity.

And next years pantomine stars.