OUR February meeting turned out to be even more hilarious than expected.

We started off quite soberly by hearing two members report on interesting visits in January, first to a class in water willow weaving, with promise of further activity sometime later and, secondly, an entertaining evening at the Playhouse to see The Mousetrap.

Of course, we cannot reveal too much of the plot as it is quite forbidden.

There is a chance that we might go later to Southampton to see The Lion King if anyone is interested.

Ros Liddington then took centre stage with a vast collection of antiques, particularly underwear.

She has had a varied career - teaching in Liberia for 17 years, and later becoming a guide at Wilton House, where she dared to suggest visits by schoolchildren, fortunately without mishap.

She collected some extraordinary and intriguing items, which were piled on our tables. But just as we were introduced to an Elizabethan gentleman in a portrait (Lord de Vere) in a ruff and amazing trousers, the lights went out.

However, nothing seems to deter either Ros or our WI ladies, so we used an emergency light and transferred to the Gurston Room to see, among other items, Jenny Truluck being dressed in some of the ‘olde world’ underwear.

We all went home later in the continuing blackout, very amused by the whole show.