If any film-makers out there have never curled up with a Jill Mansell book, then perhaps now is a good time to start.

A Walk in the Park is just the latest of her trademark romantic comedies which seem to gravitate to the top of the best-seller lists like a compass point to magnetic north.

And judging by this sparkling little number, she’s just getting better and better...

Wryly funny, wise and always deliciously on-song, her stories feature the kind of characters we have all met ... or would like to meet.

Take Lara Carson – at the tender age of 13, she was understandably hacked off when her father installed his new love Janice in their home just six months after Lara’s mother died.

It was clear from the start that Lara wasn’t welcome there any more. ‘Why can’t she just join the army or something,’ the lovely Janice was overheard confiding to a friend.

Three years later, life was still grim but she did have the consolation of Flynn Erskine, the handsomest and ‘best boyfriend’ in the world who made up for a lot of the misery in her life.

That is until her father chucked her out for being late home one night and she ended up on the doorstep of Aunt Nettie in Keswick who welcomed her with a big, warm maiden aunt hug and the promise of a new home with her.

There was just one problem... Lara had brought an extra ‘item’ with her baggage, the baby she was expecting to the blissfully unaware and now ex-boyfriend Flynn.

Fast forward over 18 years and Lara and her beautiful and bubbly daughter Gigi have returned to Bath for the funeral of Lara’s father and the unexpected news that his house is now theirs.

Of course, Lara’s return is causing a stir – not least with former best friend Evie who has a lot to catch up on and is on the verge of marrying her ‘bad boy’ dream lover Joel Barber.

There’s also the not insignificant and disturbing re-acquaintance with once adored boyfriend Flynn, now a handsome, mature and be-suited man rather than the dishevelled teenager in a T-shirt that she remembers.

The spark between them is as strong as ever, but how will Flynn react when he discovers the secret she has been keeping from him? There’s a lot of catching up to be done, that’s for sure...

Mansell knows all about life and love, how to make us laugh, how to make us cry and how to keep us reading long after the clocks have struck midnight.

Resourceful Lara, the lovable Gigi and ever-resilient Evie make a terrific starring threesome in a story as full of surprises and drama as it is of comic capers and true romance.

Now turn all these gorgeous goings-on into a film and the likes of Notting Hill and Love Actually would really get a run for their money!

(Headline Review, hardback, £14.99)

A BARNOLDSWICK woman has appealed for a driver to come forward after she suffered a broken toe.

Joan Thompson was walking across Church Street on the morning of February 4th when the back of her foot was clipped by a parking car.

Mrs Thompson said: “I was almost across the road. There was a driver reversing into a space and the back end of his car just caught the back of my foot. I stumbled forward and must have banged the front of my foot on the kerb. The driver got out and asked if I was all right but I was in shock and didn’t want to make a fuss so I said I was fine and he left.

“He said he had been keeping an eye on an elderly man who was crossing the road, and hadn’t seen me. By the time I got home and took my boot off, I couldn’t move my foot at all and felt sick. I had to go straight to A&E where they said the big toe bone is basically smashed. I’m going to be off my feet for at least six weeks.

“It was just one of those split second things but I would like the driver to make himself known to the police.”

A spokesman for Pendle police said the incident had been logged, but because the driver had stopped and checked Mrs Thompson was all right after the accident, they were not looking for him. The driver can make himself known to the Road Policing Team by calling 472542 and quoting the incident number LC-20120204 0685.

POLICE are advising members of the Asian community in Brierfield to be vigilant following a spate of jewellery burglaries.

Properties in Halifax Road, Edge End Avenue, Kings Causeway, Higher Reedley Road and Walverden Road have been broken into in recent days, with hundreds of pounds worth of Asian heritage jewellery stolen.

Insp. Carole Langhorn, from Burnley police, said: “We believe thieves have deliberately targeted this area, with the intention of stealing Asian heritage jewellery.

“We are carrying out a number of lines of inquiry, but I appeal to anyone with any information to help identify the offenders, to tell us.

“I urge all residents, particularly those in Asian communities, to remain vigilant and report anything suspicious.

“I also advise residents to make sure they lock their doors and windows and to make sure that any valuable property is not left on display.

“Burglary remains low in Lancashire and residents should be reassured we are doing everything we can to reduce it even further.”

Police patrols have been stepped up in the area and leaflets have been handed out to residents to raise awareness of the incidents.

Anyone with information about any of the burglaries can contact the police on 101, or through Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

A MAN has been convicted of murder and jailed for life for what a judge described as a savage attack on a 47-year-old man after a heavy drinking session.

Wayne Mackie will serve a minimum term of 15 years for the killing of Steven Sheppard in the living room of an address on Portland Street, Colne.

The victim was said to have been kicked, stamped upon and beaten with a brass candlestick at the home where Mackie was then living with his girlfriend last October.

However, the jury at the Preston Crown Court trial cleared Donna Harrison (35) who was alleged to have encouraged Mackie in his violence by claiming Mr Sheppard was a paedophile.

The woman, of Beech Street, Padiham was found not guilty or murder and an alternative of manslaughter.

CHARITY collectors have been banned from Burnley town centre five days a week after complaints from visitors and traders.

Collectors, dubbed “chuggers” or “charity muggers” because of their aggressive tactics, have been limited to operating in town on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Burnley Council has taken the step because shoppers were being put off from visiting the town centre but some have called for a complete ban.

Coun. Charlie Briggs, leader of Burnley Council, said: “Our first concern has been for shoppers and others using the town centre. We know a number of shoppers had started to avoid parts of St James’ Street, having been repeatedly approached by charity collectors operating in the area in the past.

“The council has proactively tackled this issue and come to this new agreement which will go a long way to deal with those issues.

“We’ve tried to find a balance between allowing charities to raise cash for worthy causes while at the same time preventing collectors being seen as a nuisance.”

The agreement means there will be a maximum of two collectors operating in any one area and they will be required to wear formal ID badges and follow a code of conduct.

But Peter Quinn, the chairman of Burnley-based volunteer group Charity Aid, called for a total ban.

He said: “It is dishonest and parasitic. They work for a profit-making company not directly for the charity. They are not telling you that they keep the first £112 from everything they collect. Why don’t they tell people this? Because no-one would give money via a chugger if they knew the truth.”

Dr Toby Ganley, head of policy at the Public Fund Raising Association, said: “This agreement with Burnley balances the duty of charities, on behalf of their beneficiaries, to ask people for their support, with the rights of the public not to be put under undue pressure to give.”

DON’T miss your weekend Express for a real trip down Memory Lane with our great feature on the town’s hottest nightspots - The Cat’s Whiskers and Angels - and their regulars!

Just the mention of the names of these two clubs will bring memories flooding back. They were well-known landmarks in town and across the North, drawing clubbers from far and wide along with the diehard regulars.

The disco era was at its height in the 70s and 80s and the “Cat’s”, as it was known, and the “Angels” rode high. In its heyday in 1977 the “Cat’s”, which began life as the Mecca dance hall, hosted an evening with radio’s top DJs of the time, Noel Edmonds, Tony Blackburn and Dave Lee Travis.

And one of biggest names associated with the “Angels” is internationally renowned “retro” DJ Paul Taylor.

Both clubs have their place in Burnley’s rich and varied history and in this special feature to mark the 125th anniversary of the Burnley Express you can see why.

Lafferty gets first game in strong Burnley team - Clarets Mad

Carl Fletcher tight-lipped over extending Alex MacDonald loan deal - This Is Plymouth

Howe Happy With Forward Options - EatSleepSport

Ben Mee Goal Line Clearance - Reading v Burnley - You Tube

Burnley’s Ben Mee stops point blank shot with his head - Yahoo

Burnley Youth Craven for Blackburn? - Vital Football

Dabbers sign up Burnley youngster Lynch - This Is Satffordshire

Reading Third after beating Burnley - EuroSport

Barry has been good for Burnley - Todmorden Today

Prince of Wales supports Burnley Football Club - Daily Telegraph

Prince Charles Revealed as Burnley fan - Guardian

Burnley FC has Prince Charles’ Royal approval - The Sun

Prince Charles admits to being a Burnley FC fan - Daily Mail

A CHRISTMAS phone stalker who terrorised a woman he had never met with silent calls and sexual threats is behind bars for a total of nine months.

Burnley Crown Court heard how the victim, who lived alone, had earlier got the wrong number and rung Neil Wood by mistake. He heard a female voice and once he had her number, he bombarded her with calls, mostly saying nothing, but on one occasion telling her he wanted sex with her and laughing. She was left frightened and scared of men she didn’t know.

Wood, who was on a suspended jail term for arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered, struck 25 times between last December 7th and 29th. When the victim tried to find out who was at the end of the line, she had to go to her service provider. Police then traced the callls and the defendant was arrested, questioned and owned up. He claimed he did not get a “kick” out of what he had been doing.

Wood (40), of Southfield Street, Nelson, had admitted harassment in breach of the suspended term and had been committed for sentence by magistrates. He was also given a two-year restraining order, banning him from contacting the victim.

Mrs Silvia Dacre (prosecuting) said when the defendant was questioned, he told police he had been silly and accepted the victim would have been upset.

The defendant had a previous conviction for harassing his estranged wife by phone and text. In March last year, he had received a suspended prison sentence after twice putting a football shirt on door handles in a block of flats he lived in and setting them on fire. He also had a record for burglaries and threats to damage and to harm a witness.

Mr Richard Taylor, for Wood, said he presented of something of an enigma. He had gone through a very acrimonious divorce and by last year, he had been drinking far too much and was depressed. He had done well in complying with probation and had given up drinking immediately after the arson.

The solicitor continued: “He can’t give any explanation for why he got involved in this offence and the best I think I can put it is that the devil makes work for idle hands.” Mr Taylor said Wood had deleted the woman’s number by the time he was arrested. He added: “The defendant recognises it was most distressing.”

Sentencing, Recorder David Williams said the victim must have been very upset at the thought of going home, the phone ringing in the night and then having silence or a sexual threat when she answered it.

He told the defendant: “The court has got to mark it’s total disapproval of offences of this nature and protect women from the likes of you.”

POLICE covering Pendle have arrested 43 people and visited hundreds of suspected criminals as part of a county-wide crackdown on burglaries.

Officers in the Lancashire Constabulary’s Pennine Division - which covers Pendle, Burnley and Rossendale - carried out the activity as part of Operation Julius II – a force-wide initiative aimed at preventing and detecting burglary.

The operation, which will run until the end of March, was launched last month following a small rise in the number of burglaries reported to police.

During the first month of the crackdown, officers in the division have executed warrants at 15 addresses in Barrowford, Nelson, Colne, Burnley and Padiham and seized over £7,000 of suspected stolen property - including a plasma TV, a laptop and 50 Xbox games.

Officers have stopped and searched 358 people and 13 vehicles have been seized.

A further 443 people who have a known offending history have been visited and warned their behaviour is being monitored. Patrols have been increased in hotspot areas and visits are being made to 31 second hand shops where burglars may try to sell on stolen goods.

Leaflets have been delivered to people’s homes which have been found insecure and officers have been speaking to residents to remind them to lock their doors and windows.

SmartWater – a unique liquid that allows goods to be traced – has been applied to property at a number of homes and residents have been spoken to about the importance of keeping their homes secure.

Over 120 drivers have been stopped and given advice on car security and a number of tamper proof number plate screws have been fitted to people’s cars in a bid to drive down thefts.

Insp. Carole Langhorne said: “Burglary and car crimes remain low and we are determined to keep it that way. This operation allows us to targeting criminals who pose us the greatest threat around car crime and burglaries, while highlighting to residents the things that they can do to avoid becoming a victim.”

Anyone with information or concerns about burglary in their community can contact the police on 101 or the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. No personal details are taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not go to court.

A PADIHAM woman accused of the murder of a 47-year-old man allegedly confessed the crime to a police officer, a court heard.

Donna Harrison (35) allegedly told the police constable that she had “murdered” Steven Sheppard and claimed he was associated with a paedophile ring of men that had drugged, kidnapped and abused her.

Preston Crown Court heard how Harrison, of Beech Street, was alleged to have admitted the killing to two other people.

But defence solicitors cast doubt on Harrison’s words and said the chronic alcoholic was still extremely drunk at the time after a three day booze binge.

Wayne Mackie (40) also stands accused of killing Mr Sheppard who was said to have been kicked, stamped upon and struck to the head with a brass candlestick in the living room of a house on Portland Street, Colne last October.

Both defendants deny murder.

The jury are expected to be sent out tomorrow to consider their verdict in the trial.

ROLLS-ROYCE has announced profits in excess of £1 billion for the first time. The firm has detailed its record order book and record underlying revenue and profit in its full year report. In its Civil Aerospace division, Rolls reported an order book of nearly £52 billion, 7% up on 2010.

The figures were released just as the firm announced it had secured a $210 million order with Fiji’s national airline Air Pacific for Trent 700 engines to power three Airbus A330 aircraft. This is the first time Air Pacific has selected Rolls-Royce engines.

Chief Executive John Rishton said: “Our order book gives us good visibility of future revenues and demonstrates the confidence our customers have in us.

“We see opportunities for profitable growth across our portfolio. For 2012 we expect good growth in both underlying revenue and underlying profit with cash flow around break-even as we continue to invest in future growth.”

During 2011, Rolls-Royce opened a new facility in Singapore, where wide-chord fan blades will be manufactured and Trent engines tested, for the first time outside the UK. A highlight for the firm was the first commercial flight of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which is powered by Trent 1000 engines, and is more fuel efficient than other civil aerospace models.

IT’S all part of my morning routine.

Let the dog out, scare away the heron and then put the kettle on. But while Monty and our resident heron never disappoint, the all important first-brew-of-the-day has been much less easy to rely on, as recently tea bags have been conspicuous by their absence.

As previously related, Wifey has pressed hard in recent years for us to redecorate the house and, after only 22 years, I finally caved in. New curtains and carpets were booked and we agreed to get someone in to help with the decorating and fettle those little jobs around the house that accumulate as the years pass by.

In fairness, things have gone very well but I should have been just that bit suspicious of what I presumed was our decorator’s beer belly. Now in the illustrious circles I socialise in such a physical attribute is considered something of a badge of honour. Unfortunately, I am no Sherlock Holmes, and I failed to question the evidence clearly available to me, and so my diagnosis was wrong.

Everyday the job progressed well. Our decorator arrived on time and, without delay, launched himself into the travails of the day. Barely stopping to take the odd break, he applied himself to his tasks with commitment diligence and professionalism. We were impressed.

But then I noticed something. The kettle never seemed to cool. We seemed to get through gallons of milk and, most significantly, the tea bags seemed to evaporate. Such energetic application to his work had to be fuelled by a constant supply of tea and custard creams. At one point the power had to be turned off, and you could see the naked fear in his eyes that brews might not be forthcoming. I had to counsel him with the reassurance we could always boil a kettle on the stove and his panic subsided. The work continued apace.

It was at that point I realised he was a disappointment. I could not fault his professionalism or his commitment to the task in hand. Indeed it was not unpleasant having him around, but there was a deep character flaw that dismayed me. This was not a man to invite on our cycle tours. That was no beer belly. It was tea bloat.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for me, and so the diet continues. After an impressive start losing a stone, I have been unable to shed any more weight. I need to get back out on my bike but the frozen ground twice thwarted my plans. The freeze, and the fact I no longer bounce like I once did, meant that cycling on the canal bank was just too hazardous. Instead Wifey and I pulled on our boots to go walking instead. Even this was not easy. Rain had fallen on frozen ground leaving everything covered in what climbers sometimes call ‘verglas’, a thin coating of ice (as on rock). We plodded along for a few miles but packed it in as we realised we had taken in no views whatsoever, so careful were we to avoid a fall onto that iron-hard surface.

In truth the cold snap had been a blessing. Everything has been held back by the cold temperatures allowing us to concentrate on the house before the beginning of the garden season. Mind you, the thaw this week has been rapid and after just a few days of more moderate weather the odd crocus has joined the snowdrops in flower. The daffs once more will start to grow at speed and life will soon return to the countryside and our gardens, and with it I will start to be busy at work.

We re-open at Reedley on March 1st and I can see March being a busy month for us. I’m quite excited about it really. I tend to get all fired up and often skip meals relying instead on that mark of the true professional, a constant supply of brews to keep me going as we set things out. My only concern? After all this decorating, will there be any teabags left?

SCOUT Phil Smith assesses Eddie Howe’s first year in charge and the potential to make the play-offs

Several readers have been in touch to request my opinion on Eddie Howe, now that he has recently celebrated a year in charge of this magnificent football club.

The question warranted a sizeable response, and thus it was unable to be answered in a short summary at the end of a regular column.

However, the lack of a midweek fixture has now provided ample opportunity to offer a suitable reflection.

Even the greatest football manager will make mistakes in the transfer market, Manucho and Mame Biram Diouf at Manchester United evidence of this point. The latter scored just once whilst at Old Trafford, typically against ourselves!

I remain adamant that we require an extra central midfielder, but, in terms of the acquisitions he has made, Howe can be pleased with his efforts. Replacing Tyrone Mears with Kieran Trippier was an absolute masterstroke, and the former Manchester City loanee could play in the Premier League right now, of that I have no doubt.

His own experience as a youth coach at Bournemouth, coupled with the appointment of Jason Blake, should see more of our own talent come through the ranks.

Bar a few obvious exceptions, we haven’t had that many make the transition from Gawthorpe to Turf Moor, and any improvement in this ratio must be encouraged.

Ultimately, however, football is a result based industry, and, as a result, a definitive assessment can only be made at the end of his tenure.

When Brian Laws was dismissed as manager, we were sat in ninth place, two points off the top six, with a game in hand.

The season concluded with us seven points away from the play-offs, and so we cannot point to an improvement in the first five months of his reign.

The current campaign began poorly, and relegation was more than an unsubstantiated concern as late into the season as November.

The frustration grew as we began to be outplayed up at the KC Stadium, but, all of sudden, David Edgar banged one in 12 minutes from time, and we went on to win the game in the most remarkable of circumstances.

A demolition of Ipswich Town and a fully deserved victory at the Boleyn Ground followed, and, by New Years Eve, we had climbed into seventh place.

We have not been any higher since, adverse weather against Derby County and Peterborough United can probably be to blame for five points, but defeats at Leeds United and Southampton were difficult to stomach.

Our Premier League Parachute payments are slashed from the start of 2012/2013,and logic dictates that when you also factor in the imminent FFP ruling, promotion will become harder as the years begin to progress.

When relegated, did anyone genuinely believe that, two years later, we would have failed to earn a play-off spot, at the very least?

Evidently, the final 14 games of the season will determine whether that is the case, but, if it becomes a reality, it cannot be classed as anything but failure.

Eddie currently enjoys a greater win percentage as Burnley manager than Owen Coyle.

I doubt he would be as arrogant to liken promotion to “leading us out of the wilderness”, but Howe will ultimately be judged on his ability to get us out of this division.

I am sure I am not alone in wishing him every success with this aim.

POLICE are appealing for information after a 30-year-old woman was sexually assaulted in Burnley on Saturday night.

The offence took place around 7-30 p.m.. The victim left an address in Wilton Street and was walking towards Salus Street when she was approached by a man who appeared to have been watching her.

The man stepped out of a back yard and grabbed the victim’s arm before pushing her against the wall of the alleyway and sexually assaulting her.

The victim managed to call police at which point the offender ran off towards Briercliffe Road.

The offender is described as an Asian man, aged between 30 and 40 and between 5ft 11in. and 6ft tall. He is of large build with a very flat nose and spoke with a local accent.

A few hours later, around 1 a.m. another woman reported being approached by a man in nearby Hillingden Road, Burnley, and police are investigating the possibility the two incidents could be linked.

The woman says she was followed by an Asian man who asked her where she lived. She told him she was ringing the police at which point he walked off.

This man is described as around 5ft 7in. tall, of medium build and aged in his early 30s. He had short dark hair with a parting to the side, slightly slipped back and raised at the front. He was clean shaven and spoke with a local accent. He was wearing bright baggy trousers and a tunic which came to his knees. He also was wearing a black jacket.

DC Neil Scholes from Pennine CID said: “I would like to reassure people that incidents of this nature are rare and a full investigation is underway with uniformed officers in the area offering reassurance.

“I would appeal to anybody in the Wilton Street or Salus Street area of Burnley around 7-30 p.m. on Saturday that saw a man acting suspiciously, or believes they may have witnessed the incident itself, to come forward.”

Anyone with information about either incident should call Lancashire Police on 101.

People with information can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or on-line at Crimestoppers-uk.org. No personal details are taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not go to court.

A MAN accused of murdering another male after they got together drinking has admitted having a fight, but insists he can’t remember much else.

Wayne Mackie accepted he “probably” caused Steven Sheppard’s injuries in the living room of a house in Portland Street, Colne.

When asked at Preston Crown Court if he had stamped upon, kicked or hit 47-year-old Mr Sheppard with a candlestick, he insisted he couldn’t remember.

The 40-year-old man, of Basil Street, Colne, gave evidence on Monday in his trial where he and Donna Harrison (35), of Beech Street, Padiham, deny murdering him last October.

Mackie, who was living at the address with his partner Andrea at the time, claimed Mr Sheppard had given him the evil eye when he and Donna Harrison kissed.

He described the kiss as “just one of them things” that happen when drunk. He went on to claim Mr Sheppard had gone at him.

He said: “I remember him coming at me. He took a swing at me. I don’t really remember much else. I probably jumped up.”

The defendant told the court he had been trying to remember what happened for the past four to five months.

He added: “We had just had a little set to. I was going to leave it at that. He had the candlestick and attacked me again. It just kicked off again.

“I just remember him going for this candlestick and that was it. I accept we had a fight. I don’t remember what actually took place”.

Mackie insisted Donna Harrison had not encouraged what took place and neither had she said he deserved it because he was a paedophile. He told the court that, while he was later in shock at what had taken place, she had said he had something to do with a “paedo ring”.

When asked in particular if he had stamped on the man’s face, Mackie replied: “I haven’t got a clue”.

Mr Sheppard, from Winewall, died from head and chest injuries.

The trial continues.

FIT-AGAIN striker Martin Paterson insists the class of 2012 can emulate the promotion-winning team of three years ago.

Paterson netted 19 goals - including a key strike in the play-off semi-final second leg at Reading in 2009 as the Clarets stormed into the Premier League.

Owen Coyle’s men lost only one of the last 11 regular season games, and won all three play-off matches without conceding a goal, to reach the promised land.

Three years on, Eddie Howe’s side lie four points behind Birmingham City in sixth place - who have two games in hand.

But Paterson, who returned on Friday night in the unfortunate 1-0 defeat at Reading, after missing the last five games with a hamstring injury, believes this squad can match that form in the final 14 matches.

Three of the next four games are at home - starting with Saturday’s visit of Millwall - and the 24-year-old said: “We now need to concentrate and dig in because it’s time to start putting results and runs together.

“In this league it’s possible to do that.

“When we got promoted we went on a 10-15-game run that was remarkable.

“And I this this group is capable of that.

“Everybody is fit now, there’ll be competition for places, and if we’re all pulling in the same direction, which we are, we’ve got a great chance.

“I know Junior Stanislas is yet to come back, but once he’s back I think we’ve got a full squad, and now’s the time to start a run.”

The former Stoke and Scunthorpe frontman hopes to make the most of home advantage over the next few games, with Birmingham and Crystal Palace to come following a trip to Watford: “It needs to be now rather than later.

“The next five games are crucial in my eyes. If we go on a nice five-game run now, it puts you in a really good position.”

Paterson is hoping for a bit of luck on the injury front, after missing large chunks of the last three seasons with various problems, and he said: “It’s good to be back, obviously not in the circumstances, but it’s good to be back playing again.

“We always knew the hamstring wasn’t a major problem, it was just a fatigue injury because I’d ran so much at Middlesbrough and it just tweaked, so we weree cautious coming back, and I’ve done all the work and now I feel okay.

“I came back okay and I think I’ll be the stronger for it this time, I thought I looked okay when I came on on Friday and was unlucky really not to score, but that’s the way football is, unfortunately we lost but I think the performance was good and there’s positives to take.”

Paterson’s return co-incides with that of Danny Ings, who has featured as a substitute in the last two games after suffering a serious knee injury in training before kicking a ball for the club following his August move from Bournemouth.

Paterson feels the 19-year-old has a bright future: “It’s great, Danny has great enthusiasm.

“I know the Burnley fans haven’t seen him, only for a short period, but he’s very talented.

“He’s only 19, which is brilliant for the club, but more so for himself.

“He’s fully fit, but if we can get him playing a bit more progressive, he’s a massive talent.

“I think he’s going to be the next one off the conveyor belt of strikers we have.

“Hopefully we don’t put too much pressure on him this season, but I’m sure, with the back end of this season under his belt, we’ve got a very exciting prospect on our hands.”

Howe has a nice selection headache now, with Jay Rodriguez, Charlie Austin, Paterson, Ings and Zavon Hines all competing for a slot, and Paterson added: “It’s come at the right time, we’ve got all the forwards fit and the competition heats up, which is good.

“We’ll be chomping at the bit to get into the starting line-up.

“We all want to play and score goals, so it’s excellent.”

And he feels more performances like the one at Reading will only bring victories: “I’m biased, but I watched the first 25 minutes and there was only one winner.

“They got a very lucky goal - no disrespect but it shanked off his shin - and it came from nowhere.

“They managed to see it out, but I think the lads played really well.

“I think the manager has a way he likes to play, and it’s taken a while for the players to adapt and to learn.

“But now we’ve learned it we seem to be executing it really well.

“It didn’t quite happen at Reading, but this negative will turn into a positive in the next couple of home games.”