IS it just me or is the Skipper getting boring? When the Skipper first started his column I was impressed - he came up with a few good points and uncovered some things that probably made the people he was criticising have a good look at themselves.

In recent weeks though, his columns have become nothing more than probably what his shipmates have told him on those long, lonely nights at sea - a whole load of cobblers that you'd probably hear coming out of the mouths of regulars at closing time. Take his last few scoops - his tirade against the Cornish language has been intelligently challenged by the Cousin Jack Society and his "expose" on the fact that the county council produces internal staff newsletters (shock, horror!) met with a response from a council employee that rubbished his claims. If we can't tell each week if the Skipper is fibbing or not then what's the point of his column? He's supposedly the readers' champion but I'd be far happier if I knew he was telling the truth.

Probably his best journalistic effort came last week when he revealed how the police differentiate between high level and low level crime. I'm not saying that isn't wrong, but it's hardly ground breaking news is it? Pick up any daily newspaper and they've been saying that kind of stuff for ages - can't the Skipper be a bit more imaginative?

So come on you old sea dog! Are we going to see a return to the Skipper of old or are you just the old, one-eyed boatman that you're in danger of becoming?

Kevin Pascoe, Dudman Road, Highertown, Truro