It’s been a good week for ... reading

A book has been returned to Shetland Library after being out on loan for more than 40 years.

The Adventures Of Beowulf by CL Thomson was due to be returned in December 1975.

The offending book was uncovered by Mary Blance in an old suitcase.

She said of the 43-year delay: "The staff in the library were hugely, immensely entertained and laughed."

Shetland Library did not to impose a fine, but did name and shame Blance on social media.

I know you’re not supposed to judge a book by it’s cover, but The Adventures Of Beowulf does sound like a bit of a slow read.

It’s been a bad week for ... shopping

A supermarket on the Isle of Lewis has had to withdraw its baskets after a spate of thefts, with up to 15 going missing every week.

Tesco offered the thieves a “no questions asked” amnesty in the hope the baskets would be returned.

In a bid to get a handle on the situation, the Stornoway shop issued a plea: "If anyone has a basket, can you please return them to the store. No questions asked on return!"

Management at the store explained that there were more baskets on order, but they would take six weeks to arrive. Such are the vagaries of island life.

In the meantime, customers have been offering suggestions as to the reason for the huge incidence of basket pochling.

Among the comments on Tesco's Facebook page, a customer suggested that the baskets were being used for growing plants in and for keeping items tidy inside car boots.

Another Facebook user was more sceptical about the plausibility of Tesco’s claims, commenting: "There weren't that many baskets in the first place, how many weeks at 15 per week has it been going on?"

Others said that security tags on baskets could help stop more from going missing.

Alternatively, they could be fitted with those really annoying locks on shopping trolleys that require a pound coin (which you never have in your possession at the necessary moment) in order to set them free.

Fortunately, such high security will not be required. Tesco bosses have issued a statement of thanks, confirming that many among the miscreants have come clean and returned missing baskets.

You’ll be pleased to learn they haven’t shopped the thieves.