Hearty congratulations

Overheard would like to open this month's derivative gleanings with a message of hearty congratulation to long-standing contributor Paul Moors on the birth of his daughter, Holly Kate. However, in the interests of being fair, balanced and accurate, Overheard would also like to sympathise with the difficulty many brokers will have in coming to terms with the idea of the lager-fuelled merry maker as a 'new man'. Disturbing eye witness reports have confirmed Moors is a 'dab hand' with nappy changing and 4am bottle feeding. When asked if he was now likely to retreat into the hallowed sanctity of childrearing, away from the boozed-up briefcase through closed windows world of broking - and was now the right time to sell to Axa? - a sleep-addled Moors replied: "I've never been to Canada but I have been to Harrogate!" Thankfully Stephen Wall was on hand to clarify: "We would have loved to join Stu and the gang but we've just had an offer from New India for once times commission and we've decided that we're going to take it." All the best with the baby toys and Indians boys.

Another northern broking blade-about-town, Paul Meehan, was also at the centre of shock revelations this week after unveiling his ambitions post-Axa to be a full time rocker. Overheard understands that Meehan hopes to emulate the success of fellow Yorkshire boys the Arctic Monkeys, who shot to fame on the myspace website, with his very own page on the site www.myspace.com/eyesopenyorkshire and hopes to be signed by the time he retires. The site also reveals friends of Eyes Open include Razorlight, Eric Clapton and numerous young groupies.

In keeping with the unintentional northern theme, Overheard can reveal that rumours of Grant Ellis trekking about the country in his very own battle bus are categorically untrue ... it's more like a battle van. Ellis now never needs to leave the office, having had a desk, wi-fi connection, mobile phone point and toaster installed in a people carrier. Overheard is sure Ellis knows where he can get his modified vehicle covered but, just in case, Footman James has just insured the Scooby Doo Time Machine which probably has similar underwriting criteria.

While trying to organise pictures of Messrs Reid, Blackham and Meehan for the June interview on the steps of Lloyd's, security intervened. "Who are you, and are you accredited?" The red coat demanded to know. "I'm a Lloyd's broker", Reid replied, adding "I'm Chris Giles". Needless to say we were swiftly ejected.