LOCAL News Story of The Day comes to us via the Sheffield Star wherein we learn of goings on at The Party Town shop on Ecclesall Road. Outside the store the mannequin dressed up as Colonel Gaddafi and carrying a sign saying “You ain’t seen me right!” is causing offence.

Police are called.

Shop assistant Jamie tells the paper:

“A couple of police officers came in and said ‘What’s that supposed to be outside?’. They said it was culturally offensive and asked us to take it down.”

While the local South Yorkshire pro-Gaddafi activists and Tony Blair salute another triumph for their man in Libya (on his way to his millions in Gateshead), a  police spokesperson adds:

“Two PCSOs, on normal patrol duties, called into the shop to ask if they would mind taking the mannequin out of the shop window, as some people may find it inappropriate. This advice was given in an attempt to prevent possible community tension on a sensitive issue.”

And that in a nutshell is how the UK should police the world – with a couple of support staff in bright jackets asking nicely. The UK once civilised the world – we can do it again…