The worthy and the not so worthy

 A fit young thing working out in front of Verily Fitt’s inspirational poster at her gym

A husband and wife team who run Adam's Jewellers in Petersfield are set to holiday in Tanzania later this month, and will climb Kilimanjaro while they are there.

Verily Fitt (39) told reporters: "I'm incredibly fit; I row, use the stepper and go to the gym every day. I hear the chaps who come into the jewellers say ‘She's fit’, and did I mention that I'm still in my thirties?"

Verily's husband, Otto B. Fitt, has also been in training. "I take my dog for a walk on Butser Hill most days; that should see me all right,” he said.

"I know it's not as steep, not anywhere near as high and that it hardly constitutes as altitude training, but I'm sure I will be fine. I only start to wheeze as I get near to the top.

"If for some reason I struggle, Verily has said she will carry me the rest of the way. She's trained at the gym, and on the stepper and on a rowing machine and everything. She trains every day you know. She's properly fit."

The husband-and-wife team decided that while they were holidaying in Tanzania, they might as well raise some money for a very worthy cause, Research into Crohn's Disease. They have also decided to give half of the money they raise to Petersfield's The Big School (TBS).

We asked the pair why they were not giving all the money to the worthy cause.

Verily Fitt told us: "If you think I'm fit now you should have seen me when I was a student at TBS. I was forever winning prizes for sports events.

"All I lived for was going up and collecting prizes and I want our children to have that same opportunity, so we will be donating a selection of trophies to the school.

"When I say I will be donating, we are hoping for enough sponsorship to pay for the trophies obviously.

“By donating half of the money to a properly worthy cause we hope more people will actually sponsor us.

"Every evening when our children return home from school they walk down our hallway and pass all of the awards I won as a student. I want them to win a few awards of their own, then they shouldn’t have to feel so embarrassed.”

TBS Old Boys network

 Lidl accused of being too big 

The Big School (TBS) in Petersfield has taken the highly unusual step of permanently excluding a student within 48 hours of his arrival as a new pupil.

Malawi-born Duke Lidl was told he could not attend lessons as he was older than the age declared on his application form by his parents.

Miss Representation speaking on behalf of the school told us: "This has all been a bit awkward really, starting with having to point out that in the UK he was not allowed to smoke his pipe in the classroom.

"Then we had the issue of him bringing his wife into home technology lessons – and she is not enrolled as a student. I am now led to believe that he would like to bring his grandchildren in to do drama.

"He arrives at school by bus, using an old person's bus pass and has a free lunch delivered for him by Meals on Wheels.

"This cannot go on and we have had to permanently exclude him. Nearly all teachers were in agreement; only our head of PE was against the decision. He had already pencilled Duke in to represent the school at basketball and rugby."

Lidl’s parents are to seek legal advice from a drinking pal of Duke’s in the Square Brewery. The solicitor, who declined to be named, said: “To accuse Duke of this is outrageous. I’ve been going in the same pub as him for about 20 years and can assure you he is not the deceitful kind.”