NO one can have escaped the fact that fuel prices are rising rapidly - cranking up inflation and forcing people to look at how they live their lives.With prices rising so rapidly, it is little wonder that hauliers and supermarkets are being forced to increase their prices - the cost of getting goods to their customers is increasing rapidly.

NO one can have escaped the fact that fuel prices are rising rapidly - cranking up inflation and forcing people to look at how they live their lives.

With prices rising so rapidly, it is little wonder that hauliers and supermarkets are being forced to increase their prices - the cost of getting goods to their customers is increasing rapidly.

But there is one group which is unable to respond to these price increases. Taxi fares are set once a year so cabbies in Ipswich have not been able to reflect the rising prices in their fares.

They were last able to put up their prices at the beginning of the year - but since then the cost of both petrol and diesel has gone up by approaching 20 per cent.

That cost has to be absorbed by the drivers, and it is understandable that they should want to reflect that increase on the fares they charge their customers.

Of course no one needing a cab wants to be ripped off, but there has to be some flexibility at a time when fuel prices are so volatile.

It is not in anyone's interest if cabbies are unable to earn enough money and are eventually forced off the roads.

A protest through the streets of Ipswich would do little except make life difficult for all other road users - but it is necessary for council chiefs to listen to the concerns of the cabbies and act on them.

ON fine spring or summer days there is nothing better than going for a walk in the country - and dog owners in particular welcome the chance to give their pets some good exercise.

But anyone who has a dog needs to ensure their pet is exercised responsibly, and that means preventing them from worrying farm animals.

The incident at Baylham Rare Breeds Farm could have been much worse - it is clear that the Brownies who were visiting the farm had no idea that a dog was actually attacking sheep in a field.

But it is quite understandable that farm owners Richard and Neil Storer should be furious about the incident. Their ewe suffered nasty, if not life-threatening, injuries and the incident could easily have been avoided.

Pet owners need to get the message that if they take dogs on footpaths near fields of livestock, they have to keep them on leads.

Otherwise they could risk being fined if their dog worries animals, or could even see an angry farmer shoot their pet.

IPSWICH Witches made it a magnificent seven victories on the trot last night to rise to the top of the Elite League with a spectacular win over Belle Vue at Foxhall.

It is a fantastic turnaround in the team's fortunes after a very poor start to the season which had left the team struggling at the bottom of the league.

Now the Foxhall faithful will be hoping that the team can keep up its run through the rest of the season and bring the title back to Ipswich after several years of disappointing results.