The Bell tolls

It started off as a warm tale about how Geoffrey Bell, now a consultant at north Staffordshire firm Knight & Sons, is about to mark 70 years of practising at the same firm a period broken only by the Second World War, when he rose through the Army ranks to major.

The firm is making a presentation to Mr Bell whose son is now the firms senior partner inaugurating a moot between Staffordshire and Keele universities law schools in his name, while his original articles of clerkship are to be displayed in the firms reception area.

And Mr Bells reaction? I have been lashed to the mast all these years and still am.

Theres gratitude for you.