"PLAYING WITH BALLS!" Top 5 Page for this destination Portmeirion Local Custom Tip by themajor

Well, you could be forgiven for thinking that the photograph accompanying this tip is somewhat, 'er, odd. I mean, what have we here? Four adults, three dressed not unlike lab technicians on a works outing and the fourth wearing a natty blazer that may or may not have come from the local Oxfam shop. And what are they doing? They have obviously splashed out on two oversized beachballs so bereft of colour and design - ie plain white - that any self-respecting end of the pier salesman caught stocking one would have thrown himself into the briny at the very shame of it.

But of course you would be WRONG!

What we have here ladies and gentlemen is a group of British eccentrics, so infatuated with the cult 1960s TV series 'The Prisoner' that they have taken to dressing up as members of the cast. For lab technicians read 'evil brainwashing scientists', for jaunty cricketer read 'ruggedly ethical British ex-agent', and for white beachball read 'ingenious radio controlled gaseous bubble capable of catching, cornering and suffocating at the behest of it's villainous masters'. For lovely sandy bay at the foot of the village read 'lovely sandy bay at the foot of the village'.

PS You can buy the rather fetching jackets in the village shop. Bring your own beach balls.