COPENHAGEN – eat your heart out.

You may have a world famous mermaid in Denmark.

But next year Wirral will have six of the best.

We can learn from this little bronze lady created in 1913.

Liverpool has already shown that, apart from the Liver Birds, the iconic Superlambanana – half sheep, half fruit - have become a surreal symbol of the city’s cultural regeneration.

The models were suitably, colourfully decorated and became talking points leading to many being bought by local businesses.

They became models of imagination and have been 'selfie' inspirations ever since.

Now New Brighton's Coastal Community Team is splashing ahead with its unique Mermaid trail. I can't wait to see the winning design.

Uplifting model creations which will eventually be decorated by local schoolchildren.

They are sure to be a tourist attraction and economy booster.

The Mermaid trail is an idea that has legs ... or should that be fins?

Storyteller Cathy Roberts, who for years has told the tale of the Black Rock Mermaid in schools, first brought her to life at the Wirral Pirate festival.

The Inferno believes that the mermaids will make a real splash.

It could even inspire more symbolic trails around the Wirral area. We could have gnomes around Wallasey town hall.

Inanimate objects that stand around looking docile while the grass grows beneath them.

How about a flock of Puffins around Hilbre Island to symbolise this wildlife haven?

The model trails would look great on postcards and put a real sense of fun in many Wirral places.

Let's hope it all goes swimmingly for the Wirral Mermaids.

*

HERITAGE is indeed a proud selling point for any town or city.

One man who knew all about how important the past is to the present and future was Merseyside historian Fred O’Brien who died recently.

He was one of life's givers.

Fred was responsible for many of the historic blue plaques around Liverpool.

I once proudly unveiled one with him and Jimmy McGovern at the Bridewell in Liverpool to mark the place where Charles Dickens worked as a special constable when he was writing Oliver Twist.

Fred knew more about plaques than any dentist.

He once told me he was working on some for Wirral.

He revealed that he was researching a plaque for a place where Ken Dodd played one of his first engagements at a 'pig breeders' club in Irby.

Fred may be gone and ironically there's no plaque to him.

But his inspiration and love of life will live in the many plaques he left behind.

*

CAN the BBC compete in this multi-media world? We viewers seem to be losing out, too.

The proof is in the pudding it seems for the BBC.

The Great British Bake Off is channel-hopping. All down to dough.

The series made Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry into household names and tasty national treasures. That's enough current puns for now.

The Beeb is getting its just desserts as Channel 4 can soon commercially exploit their prize purchase with product placement.

The icing on the cake.

Having been a television editor for two decades of my career I knew this story would knock more serious issues off the front pages.

David Cameron leaving politics for one. There’s an Eton mess if ever I saw one ...

The BBC simply couldn't cut the money negotiating mustard across the kitchen table.

Will St Paul of Hollywood be in the new version?

Will quality suffer?

Things to chew over, indeed. C4 are now licking their lips.

They have their cake and will eat into the ratings.

*

AND finally ... The Friends of Wallasey Central Library Film Club are showing a curious film made 50 years ago.

As our libraries avoid closures and cutbacks, the society will show Fahrenheit 451 in December.

A film where a future state demands books are burned and all reading material banned.

I do hope this doesn't ignite an idea in the council chambers. All our much- loved libraries need happy endings.

Peter Grant