NEARLY THERE

Eight days to go...and counting

I was surprised to discover that the shortest day of this year will not be the usual 21st December....but the day after, which means that it will be celebrated on the day I go to watch Southampton take on Preston North End - a double celebration perchance?

In fact, the winter solstice itself - the actual moment in time when the sun is at its lowest point in the northern sky - changes each year. This year, that magic moment arrives at 0608am, no doubt sparking celebrations at Stonehenge and other mystical places around the planet. There`ll be a few sighs of relief here in deepest Kent too.