I’m old enough to remember when buying a condom, euphemistically known as something for the weekend, was a bit of a trial for a bashful young man. It is a sign of the times that they are now widely available and on open display. No bad thing, for sure, but therein lies a trap for the unwary. Take the case of 76-year-old Rosemarie Riley from Skelmersdale.

Rosemarie popped down to her local Asda Store to pick up a few bits and pieces, including a box of Teabags. She took her basket to the checkout, duly paid her bill of £26.75, which on reflection she might have thought a bit steep and took her goodies home.

On unpacking her bag, to the consternation of her husband, Rosemarie found that what she thought was a box of Tetley teabags was in fact a jumbo box of Durex Thin Feel condoms. Mortified, she realised that she had gone shopping without her spectacles and had picked up the red box by mistake.

Too embarrassed to own up to her error, she sent her granddaughter back to the store to return the goods and reclaim her £17. The moral of the story is always take your spectacles with you when you go shopping.

Still, like teabags, you can always hang them up to dry and use them again.