Talk of the Town: Swear to serve the city faithfully

But that didn’t stop Alasdair Rankin becoming the first elected member to utter a profanity on “Council TV”.

The SNP politician said in a mild-mannered tirade that he  was “bloody” fed up of something.

TOTT did not catch the rest of the sentence, but we are assured that, knowing the well-liked ex-civil servant, it was equally mild-mannered.

Jolly hockey trip for unlucky student Ben

FEW daft forfeits for losing a game or a bet involve a round trip of nearly 900 miles.

But that’s what happened to Exeter University hockey club member Ben Sully when he lost a wager and had to travel to and from Edinburgh in a day.

The first year departed Exeter St David’s on the 8.23am on Thursday and arrived here at 4.05pm.

Happily, after hearing of his plight on Twitter, representatives from the Edinburgh Uni Hockey Club were there to meet him, presenting him with wine, chocolates and flowers.

After jumping on the 4.52pm train back to Exeter, Ben arrived home at nearly 1am the next morning.

With friends like these . . . Reindeer daze for Rudi

IF you spot a giant red-nosed reindeer in the city centre, don’t worry – you haven’t had one too many. Snaps of Rudi are being posted on the St James Centre’s Twitter feed daily, with those who identify his location entered into a prize draw to win a smart camera.

TV stars aren’t hot stuff

CURRY challenge the Kismot Killer contest hit the headlines last year after hospitalising two entrants. Last week it featured on Sky 1’s A League Of Their Own show, with team members Andrew Flintoff and Jamie Redknapp soon scrambling for water, milk and bowls of yoghurt after sampling a spoonful of the fiery dish from the St Leonard’s Street eatery.