Cartoonist Peter Woolcock announced that his annual book of Royal Gazette cartoons will not be on sale at Christmas-time because of spiralling production and printing costs.

Set against the relatively low print order necessitated by the Island's size, this meant the project was no longer profitably viable.

Mr. Woolcock said: "The book is strictly seasonal and quite simply it was becoming too expensive a stocking stuffer. It's a great pity really; Woppened Eleven -- with a generous foreword by Sir James Astwood -- was all set to go to press but the production department's figures just didn't add up.

"I apologise to all Woppened fans, especially those who always sent a copy to their Aunt Cissie in New Zealand.'' However he reassured those fans that his cartoons will continue to appear in the Friday edition of The Royal Gazette .

NOT THIS YEAR -- Cartoonist Peter Woolcock's lizards are not happy with him as Woppened will not be published this year.