ODD happenings… number one in an occasional series. As many of you know, I have many hideouts along the Severn between Kempsey and Grimley, and one of them is next to a fisherman’s platform.

Whenever an angler is not drowning a maggot on this flimsy structure, it is my wont to remove shoes and socks for a paddle. Yes, I know it’s daft but I’m way past the age when you’re supposed to care about what others think.

In fact, I dipped my feet only the other day. To my amazement, a shoal of fry started pecking at my tootsies, apparently finding something edible (!) in that region.

However, the piscatorial pampering ended abruptly when a pike or zander topped a few feet away and I rapidly extricated myself from Sabrina’s embrace.

A couple of days later, I was astounded to see an item on telly about a woman in America who uses small fish to treat patients’ feet, in exactly the same way. It seems they eat all the dead skin and the experience is not entirely without pleasure. Mind you, she charges money for the privilege and mine’s for free. You can rely on Tightwad Enterprises to find a way.