Pump a haven for great tits

WHEN we first bought the small cottage in the country that has now expanded to become our current house the only water supply came from one of those cast iron pumps with a little knob on the spout to hang your bucket on and a long handle that you pump up and down.

The pump was on the concrete lid of a shallow well and produced excellent water.

There was a lot of lime in it, but that meant that drinking a pint glass full was as effective as a packet of Rennies for dispelling acid indigestion.