W ITH THE imminence of Valentine's Day I wanted to pass on a story of togetherness in the face of adversity.

It happened during a show by the comedian Stephen K Amos at the Queens Theatre. We were sitting half a dozen rows back, rather too close for comfort to the stage, given that this stand-up show often depends on picking out people in the audience and asking them personal questions.

We were lucky, he left us alone. But a teenager on the second row was fully in the line of fire. Extrovert Amos came down into the stalls for a bit of banter about what we all like to sing in the shower, and asked this young lad to simply think of his favourite song …...any song. He couldn't. Not straight away, not on a second attempt, nor a third, fourth or even tenth. No matter how hard he concentrated no song title, from Three Blind Mice to Happy Birthday to Bleeding Love came to him.

Everyone else frantically racked their brains in case the spotlight fell on them. Quite taken aback Amos asked his next victim the same question. The same blank response. " What is this … an outing of mutes," spluttered the comic, almost stunned into silence himself. He gave up asking and returned to the stage shaking his head.

The point of the story is that after the show, when fans were queuing in the foyer for DVDs and autographs, among them was the young lad, unabashed and smiling despite his embarrassing exposure. And right beside him, also smiling in complete and loving support, was his girlfriend. They took their turn in the queue, and ended up having an amiable chat with the star.

Amos had warned us during the act that some people would remember what happened that night for the rest of their lives. That young lad will for sure. But the unwavering faith his girl showed him was a Valentine token for us all to share.

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I RECENTLY spent a few days in London where it seems to me they're spending a lot of money. Our money, collected in our taxes. The centre is looking clean, well-tended and a capital to be proud of. I felt a little pride myself as foreign tourists admired the wonderful architecture and streetscape that London displays. Of course the London 2012 Olympiad is behind some of this attention, and it's likely that even more cash will be sucked in to the city during the next couple of years.

I know that the price of the Olympics, £12 billion and rising, is but a fraction of our national debt. Nevertheless when I see North Devon Council forced to slash spending on so many of our services next year I feel aggrieved. So many billions would go a very long way to support communities like ours. And what is more important? Maintaining London as a sparkling tourist destination? Or shoring up the economy of places like Barnstaple, Braunton and South Molton with grants for new businesses or for existing firms wanting to relocate here?

We should be setting an example in how to live within our means. We wouldn't have to make do with a cheap or shoddy Olympics. But by motivation, encouragement and belief in ourselves we are capable of welcoming the world without incurring huge debts.

Now is the time to draw on the resources of Britain, to rekindle the spirit that means more to people in this country than any amount of money. An inspirational government would have set each county or district a task for the Olympics, spending money yes, but on improving the nation's transport system so athletes, officials and volunteers could easily travel to the city to be part of the occasion.

With improved rail and road networks visitors would have been encouraged to see the sights away from London. They could have enjoyed the variety, the landscape beauty and the hospitality of the people of North Devon, for instance, as well as Marble Arch, the Olympic Arena and Buckingham Palace.

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AND talking about our landscape beauty, I hear that a couple went out for a quiet walk last week and ended up being rescued by RAF helicopter from Chivenor last weekend.

They'd ventured into Braunton Burrows thinking they could exercise their dog and still get back to their car before dark. They were caught out and had to call for help on their mobile.

Some people will probably raise their eyebrows at this unlikely outcome to a dog-walk, but I can understand. Those burrows suddenly look impossibly big especially when it's getting dark and if the temperature drops as sharply as it does at this time of year they can seem a very frightening place.

Even so I suspect the couple are a little red-faced. They'll be thanking their lucky stars the "crew from 22" were out training. And, however some people will laugh, the rescue is a warning they should heed.