Mieka Smiles

Local Matters

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HAVE a tale to tell you that involves a very unlikely trio: Angela Rayner, a heartbroken man and a gerbil. Yes, yes, I know at the moment it sounds like a Daily Star front page, but just bear with me.

There is a possible apocryphal story that has become Smiles family lore every time one of our children tries to swing the lead and stay off school. We talk about work ethic, how you have to be pretty ill before even considering a day off and then someone brings up the man who took a week's leave after the death of his pet gerbil.

Now, I will say this anecdote had a dubious path in reaching me - and I would imagine Chinese whispers played a big part in its shaping - but, apparently, he had an "emotional connection" to the pet...