With the polka dot trend in full swing and as today happens to be the anniversary of the last Mickey and Minnie Mouse cartoon strip Walt Disney ever scripted, it gives me a tenuous enough reason to celebrate some animated fashion via Lazy Oaf's revisiting of Minerva's iconic look.

Mining accidents, such a regular part of life in industrial communities in decades gone past as to provide perfect plot twists in modern-day novels, became headline worthy again this week due to the tragic events in Swansea. I'm sure I wasn't the only one somehow naively expecting a repeat run of the jubilant scenes played out in Chile almost exactly a year ago. If only real life ran with such Hollywood-perfect endings. Calls for an enquiry have already been made, while Neath MP Peter Hain is appealing for donations to help the bereaved families of those brave men who lost their lives.