Soft toy abuse and granddads for sale

11:11am Thursday 2nd October 2008

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IT is cruel of me to extend my blind uncle's white stick every time he sleeps so when he awakes and uses it to feel his surroundings he thinks the walls have got closer.

But I do it to make a point: it is possible to be deceived when you cannot see what is really happening.

This was the case for News Shopper readers in 1972.

On January 6 the front page of the Lewisham edition showed the council's social services chief seemingly strangling a teddy bear.

On the Eltham and Sidcup front page it appeared Greenwich's social services director was smiling while stuffing a helpless doll into the boot of his car.

News Shopper was inundated with letters from readers horrified by what they thought was a soft-toy massacre.

One irate reader wrote: "I saw the photo of a Bexley councillor holding a tricycle and a ragdoll.

"He obviously thinks it is perfectly fine to beat the stuffing out of the doll with the tricycle.

"These council bigwigs have obviously gone crazy with power. What's next, attacking a squirrel with a go-kart?"

The readers had looked at the photos, but not the articles, so they thought they were seeing sadistic bear beating when actually the council workers were taking the toys to needy children.

This was part of a News Shopper appeal which saw readers donate more than 1,000 toys for underprivileged youngsters in the area.

There was more reader confusion when News Shopper reported Lewisham Council's investigation into the cost of caring for the elderly.

The headline of "Old Folk: What Do They Cost?" caused dozens of people to send in letters voicing their outrage.

One reader wrote: "How dare you try to buy old people. Just because a person is over a certain age does not mean they can be bought and sold like a used car."

Another reader wrote: "I'll sell you my granddad for £20. He's in good condition, but he groans a bit when he gets out of an armchair."