The case of Sarah Payne, the Surrey girl who went missing from Ferring almost a fortnight ago, has raised concerns about the safety of children everywhere.

Most parents don't want to keep their children indoors, especially on lovely summer days, and would like them to play in the fields like Sarah - if only they could be sure they were safe.

Now mother Tricia Porter from Goring is trying to set up a safe houses scheme for children everywhere.

Specially designed signs would be placed in the windows of houses belonging to people who have been thoroughly vetted by police and social services.

Children who are lost, worried, bullied or feeling insecure would then be able to go to the house and ask for help.

No one knows whether such a system would have done anything to stop the mystifying disappearance of Sarah Payne, but it is a good idea that needs serious investigation. It is already working well in parts of the United States and Canada. Perhaps it could be set up as a pilot project in one part of Sussex to see whether it succeeds.

All children used to play in the streets and fields. Sadly, few do so any more. A safe houses scheme would help restore that wonderful freedom for many youngsters.

Tourist trap A prankster who didn't care to pay high charges for ringing the tourist information at Brighton got his own back on the council.

He managed to change the message on the premium line so that it was all about taking drugs and going to the Essential Music Festival instead of offering tourist information.

It was a silly prank but it did make a serious point.

Plenty of visitors will object to paying high prices for tourist information.

If they are going to spend large sums of money in the resort, they have the right to expect information about restaurants and hotels to be free.

Shellfish thought Scientists of international renown have been plunging into the cold, murky depths of the River Arun this week.

They have been trying to find out more about the rare depressed river mussel, which is thriving in Sussex.

Sadly, the mussels cannot be eaten because of the large amount of organic waste they filter through their systems. That is likely to make fanciers of fresh fish even more depressed than the mussels.