Super trooper

Sarah Brightman performed majestically on the CIoB lawns at Ascot last Sunday for the Institute's 160th anniversary - and the show went so well a further will be staged next year. But in best Grand Star tradition, Ms Brightman had led the staff a merry chase beforehand. Chief executive Keith Banbury's palatial office, set aside as her changing room, was rejected by Ms Brightman. Its acoustics were wrong for her vocal chord exercises.

She roamed the building anxiously for something better - and eventually located it in the rather less grand and spacious offices of the Benevolent Fund. Her do-re-mis out of the way, the former Pan's Person entertained over 2,000 people in the ground's beautiful amphitheatre.

The only wrong note struck was when, as president Bob Wharton advanced on her to plant a thankyou kiss, she abandoned her planned encore and made off into the night. Perhaps Colin Harding, next year's president, will have more luck next year.