Now here is something you don’t see every day. I went down to Mancamp tonight and remembered that I hadn’t put in any chlorine in the pool for a while.

So I grabbed a chlorine tablet and lifted the skimmer cover to drop it in. There, at the bottom of the tray and grimly holding on for dear life, was a tiny vole.

As I reached down to lift him up, he swam out the side and set off across the pool. Unfortunately, the pool cleaning net is currently upstairs ready for Mickey catching duties, so I was in a bit of a dilemma. Did I go in after him or should I let him exhaust himself and drown?

For a semi-Buddhist like myself, it was a no-contest. Shrugging off my clothes, I bravely followed the desperate creature in, armed only with a trusty, and very smelly, training shoe.

Many a tale and song could be made of the epic aquatic chase between a little rodent and a fat naked man clasping a shoe in one hand. Jules Verne eat your heart out!

Suffice it to say, that after about half an hour, said rodent was captured and carried out to the lawn to be set free under a still full moon by his still naked saviour.

I just hope the neighbours were not looking out their windows and pondering on the possibility of Satanic rites in highly respectable St.Brelade.

Even more so, I hope that no one captured it on film and as I write, is posting it on YouTube.