THIS week a TV show brought back memories of when the 'Three Queens' sailed into the Mersey last May – fantastic family fleet of magnificent vessels.

Sea City, on BBC1, showed the River Mersey and its people enjoying the majesty of this unique nautical spectacle celebrating Cunard's past and present.

Happily the BBC programme showed the impact on both sides of the river.

It is something we seldom see, producers seem to focus on Liverpool – leaving Wirral an afterthought.

Ariel views of my favourite landmark the Perch Rock lighthouse were breathtaking.

At last Wirral was not seen as the metaphorical Dickensian kid with his or her nose pressed up against the shop window.

This was a timely piece of publicity as we hear council leader Phil Davies rolls out positive plans to put Birkenhead back firmly on the map.

Birkenhead is regarded as the best place to see Liverpool’s world famous waterfront.

Why can't there now be something for Liverpool to look at?

Any ideas?

I hope Phil's postcode comes to fruition and that residents and visitors have something to write home about.

The ferry terminal should certainly stay.

Birkenhead with all its heritage cries out for something that people on the other side of the Mersey should be proud of too – especially in an age of a shared super authority.

Now as we await the next River Festival, Wirral should be an even bigger part of it saying out loud that the River Mersey literally belongs to all of Merseyside.

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THE Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts is world famous – Paul McCartney's old school is a place of educational excellence with a six form college opening in September.

What a 20th birthday present from Principal Mark Featherstone Witty and his inspirational team.

I have been a supporter of this wonderful establishment since it ambitiously opened its doors two decades ago.

This week Steve Harley of Cockney Rebel fame gave a masterclass ... sharing his experiences in the industry.

Such is the pulling power of LIPA.

It was a joy to be there as Steve discussed his musical career with the head of music – Wirral-based Ged McKenna.

Steve revealed how his friend Rod Stewart asked about LIPA.

When I interviewed the late Lou Reed in New York he also told me how impressed he was with the institute.

Macca is still getting rave reviews – just ask the students.

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A NEW survey says that robots will be dominating factories and workplaces from now on.

Call centres will become even more irritating as they set up a new centre on a space station.

I just hope local councils don't get any more automated than they already are.

We are human – not dancers, the song by the band The Killers sums up how are personal identities are being raided by new technology.

When you hear that schoolchildren now spend three hours a day on their I-Pads and find it hard to hold down a conversation it is disheartening and disturbing.

Our education chiefs need to put literacy firmly on the agenda.

Libraries are closing and we are a generation lost for words.

One Merseysider certainly wants more inter-action.

Tim Quinn, who worked for Marvel Comics, is on a mission in schools across the area including Wirral. This is man who worked on the Spider-Man titles before the web.

This weekend Tim wants you to be in the televised audience for his fab show at Liverpool’s Central Library at 1pm.

He will be celebrating his life as a "Comic Book Creator.

"I'd love to see the good people of Wirral to be on the telly for Bay TV and meet me for a chat," said the mighty Quinn.

Marvel-lous indeed.

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AS the Inferno heads towards its 100th column I want to thank those who write with suggestions regarding my campaign to have more Wirral Freedom of Borough nominees.

Bill Tidy of Birkenhead being one. Please keep them coming. We will present a dossier of names to the council.

Peter Grant