[West Ender]

It was a Sunday evening about 7 p.m. A raw egg hit my kitchen window, thrown from the public footpath next to my garden, and splatted all over the glass. I'd had an egg smashed on my car the night before and I was furious. My son, aged 21, was at home and we jumped in my car and set off to find who'd done it.

On the main road we saw 2 lads, aged about 14, carrying an egg box. I stopped the car a little further along and Alan jumped out and confronted them. After a minute he grabbed them both by the shoulder and brought them to where I was standing. "These are the jokers, mother," he said. The lads denied it. They said they had just been in the corner shop to buy some eggs for their grandma.

There were 3 eggs in the 6-pack box. Alan emptied the eggs into a nearby litter bin, making sure they smashed, and he stood over the lads - he's quite broad-shouldered is Alan. He said, "I know you now. If you ever throw another egg I'll be waiting for you." and we drove off.

This happened 20 years ago when lads of that age didn't sue their victims for assault. If it happened now my son would, no doubt, be in trouble for touching them. What a crazy world we're living in.