SMALL WORLD: When he moved into a new flat in Scotland, Paul Stacey applied to Provincial Insurance in Kendal for a home insurance policy. He was somewhat surprised to find that his chief contact at the company was a certain Donna Elliot! Could this really be the very same wife of a certain famous northern SRT-red-bolting fanatic? If this is so then although one would like to congratulate the illusive Mr Elliot with solving the current problems with caving insurance (see Descent No 87), one can't help but ask just where does he get the insurance for his caving courses?

DEVELOPMENTS AT MERSTHAM: Contrary to the report in Mites and Tites, Pelobates No 55, entry to the quarries at Merstham cannot be obtained via Chaldon Bottom (or No 8) entrance. Although the entrance shaft is OK, the boulder choke a short distance in is now totally blocked. This is none too surprising as it was not a particularly nice place when the club first dug through it at the end of 1969. Ron Smith reports that Wealden Cave and Mine Society would be interested in hearing from volunteers willing to help dig a bypass.

FOUR MONTHS UNDERGROUND: No, not one of Bernard's photographic trips (they just feel that long) but what the Evening Standard of 2 December 1988 claimed was a new world record for solo cave residence. Apparently the previous record had been three months. The, by now well established, shift from a waking and sleeping pattern related to the sidereal day to one of longer time intervals was confirmed in this exercise. On this occasion the rhythm set up was 77 hours long.

UNIT TWO CAVE RESEARCH AND EXPLORATION: As reported in the Club Newsletter, Unit Two Cave Research and Exploration have changed their name. For the record, I would like to confirm that the new name - Wealden Cave and Mine Society - is correct and that there is no truth in the rumours that they are to be called Weald Area New Karst Exploration and Research Society.