ALL the talk these days about low-energy light bulbs saving the planet does not actually help when all that is needed is an old-fashioned battery. Let me explain. It was a return to the quiz night routine at the weekend – but this time we were really kept

ALL the talk these days about low-energy light bulbs saving the planet does not actually help when all that is needed is an old-fashioned battery.

Let me explain.

It was a return to the quiz night routine at the weekend - but this time we were really kept in the dark.

And when I say we were kept in the dark - I really mean it.

As usual the Royston Photographic Society ran its annual lantern quiz.

The hall at Icknield Walk School has to be shrouded in darkness because the pictures on the screen relate to the questions.

But then there is the dilemma of not only knowing the answer, but attempting to write it down under a pin-prick of light coming from a rapidly declining candle.

But seeing as we are a quick-witted team, the problem was solved by rummaging through the boot of the car and laying hands on an old torch that had been lying there for years.

And to save the day, the batteries were still working.

So with increased confidence, and being able to see what we were writing, there was an expectation that in the second half of the evening we would improve.

But even with so much battery power we still ended the evening in second place.

This was, I believe, because the team that won had more light than us and had nothing to do with the fact that they managed to get more questions right.

We are now going to invest in miners' lamps for next year's competition.

And talking of battery power, it came to the rescue, too, at this year's Royston Town Council's civic service in the parish church on Sunday afternoon.

There was the curate, the Rev Averil Lauckner, installed in the pulpit, set to deliver the sermon.

She began her opening sentence and then came the agonising cry: "The batteries are dead!"

In a place such as the parish church, the use of a microphone is essential.

The problem was solved as the vicar, the Rev Les Harman, disappeared and returned within moments holding in an upraised hand the replacement batteries.

Whether these were long-life batteries or not didn't quite matter, for as they say, the show - or in this case, the service, went on.

It just goes to show that we don't need electricity.

More power to the battery.