Martin Hesp on Saturday

Read Martin’s column every week in the Western Daily Press

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IVE my regards to Miss Totty of Totnes, writes a friend... And I will, if l ever get to meet her, which is doubtful.

I mention this somewhat bizarre instruction, which arrived by email this week, because my theory - when it comes to getting old but at the same time trying to stay young and, to some degree, bouncy and energetic - is to remain interested in as many things as possible while at the same time finding most stuff funny rather than bleak.

‘The email was sent by a pal who is an old tabloid newspaper editor, and the communication began with him asking if I’d heard of a new phenomenon doing the rounds. Devon Girl is, apparently, this year’s version of White Van Man or Essex Girl. Her appearance, in other words, is a vague, imprecise but colourful way of labelling a section of society.

My friend had read an opinion piece in The Times written by Tony Sewell (Baron Sewell of Sanderstead, CBE), an educational consultant and founder of the charity Generating Genius who, in 2020, was appointed chair of the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities. In it he discusses the question of racism being institutionalised in large corporations such as the Met Police and the BBC. | thought it pretty spot-on, but of course I zeroed-in on the curious West Country woman who seems to have entered the national fray.

Who on earth is Devon Girl?