THE Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children stood accused, on the front page of the Limerick Leader, of failing to take its own advice. A Limerick primary school has demanded an apology from the ISPCC after its representatives broke the Stay Safe programme's "golden rule" and approached allegedly frightened children at the school gate with a petition for them to sign.

One 11 year old told the newspaper "I saw two people, a man and a woman, get out of a van and come up to the pupils and ask them to sign something. They said would we sign this to help them. I run away."

That, of course, is what the Stay Safe programme tells children to do if they are approached by strangers they do not know and who have not been introduced to them by their own parents or a teacher.

Mr Cian O Tighearnaigh, chief executive of the ISPCC, defended the actions of the representatives, who were in a van marked ISPCC. He said it would be unfair to criticise "this kind of approach in a public place from identified individuals from an identified organisation in the presence of so many people. To suggest that is a stranger interaction, that would be an unbalanced presentation of the reality of the situation."

In an editorial, the Limerick Leader said "The ISPCC's purported justification of their action is palpable nonsense." The newspaper described as "astonishing" the "failure of the ISPCC to acknowledge their obvious error of judgment despite the resultant teacher auger, parent concern and, most important of all, fear among children."

Portlaoise prisoners are enjoying wind surfing, canoeing and day long excursions to the Slieve Blooms in a move organised by Laois VEC, an outraged Leinster Express told us. "Presented as a progressive initiative, the unusual and costly exercise has raised more than a few eyebrows in the Portlaoise Prison system," it said.

"The holiday camp arrangements for the select band of Dublin based criminals finishing out their sentence in Portlaoise was previously shelved for fear of public criticism, but was implemented for the first time on Monday to the disbelief of many Portlaoise Prison personnel."

Swimming, canoeing and rock climbing were part of "the peculiar programme about which Laois VEC and the prison governor refused to comment. The Leinster Express made do with a quote from a "source close to the situation", who snarled "Maybe the authorities should first consider people who haven't committed crimes and who are trying to make ends meet for these kind of outings."

Rock climbing for some, and total freedom for others, seems to be the trend. The Nationalist and Leinster Times said a Carlow man sentenced to a nine month term for shoplifting was released after only two days' imprisonment due to prison overcrowding.

IN Limerick, a 32 year old Puerto Rican seaman had been having such a good time in that as his vessel left the harbour he jumped ship, said the Limerick Leader. He was "within seconds of drowning" when an Irish Marine Emergency Service helicopter winched him from the sea. Now that's love if that is what it was.

It's got so that not a week goes by without the high jinks of some mad cow or other making the front page of a local newspaper. A "crazed" black Limousin heifer on the verge of slaughter found her freedom from the confines of Cavan Co Op Mart and headed up the main street of Cavan, reported the Anglo Celt. Garda "Braveheart" Christy Dooley went in hot pursuit as panicking men, women, children and foreign tourists fled into side streets.

The heifer was cornered by Garda Dooky, corralled and taken back to the mart. Upon "realising that she had been bested by man, the beast made straight for Garda Dooley, in through the driver's window of his car. He immediately jumped towards the passenger seat and drew his baton to fend her off...

"Garda Dooley said it was a very frightening experience, especially when she singled him out for one final assault."

The Ballymena Guardian reported that "giant rats are giving Ballymena shoppers the creeps. In one instance, a rat ran into the foyer of the Northern Bank at Broadway, before darting back out into the street and scampering off down Wellington Street."

"Cigarette Bingo Ban sends profits up in Smoke" said the Westmeath Independent. Leading sporting organisations in Westmeath claim to have run up a £120,000 debt burden since January 1st last as a result of a drop in attendance brought about by the smoking ban.

The Meath Chronicle highlighted the worry of a 34 year old mother of three who has been waiting 10 years for dental treatment from the health board. "I wouldn't mind, but when you do go to a dentist they'll give out to you for neglecting your teeth, but what can you do? she said.