Fiery riposte put paid to Guardian-reading habit

Safe space for Guardian-reading? A man sitting on the loo reads a copy of the newspaper in its broadsheet days, before it reduced to the Berliner size. Photograph: Garry Weaser for the Guardian

While I am unable to help Jenny Jeater with her conundrum (Letters, 29 November), I can vouch for the flammable qualities of the Guardian. Many years ago, in a previous marriage, the mother of my children would chat to me in the evening as I tried to read the paper. One evening it became apparent that my grunts, umms, ah-has etc had not been placed appropriately in the conversation when I smelt scorched paper and the Guardian suddenly erupted in flames in my hands.

As the smoke and charred remains of the Guardian cleared, I saw the mother of my children, with a smug look of satisfaction, blow out the match and place the matchbox back on the mantelpiece.
Chris Seidel
Cochrane, Alberta, Canada

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