HAVING neatly solved the puzzle as to how a Sutton area, known as Strappers, came by its nickname (reader Les Woods claims it's a corruption of Strippers, the area having been in the form of land strips) another interesting yedscratter has popped up.

And the key word strap is again central to the latest query, posed by M.C. of Widnes who writes: "Reading the Strappers piece reminded me of a saying from boyhood. People used to ask the corner shopkeeper, 'can I have it on strap?' meaning that they had no available cash and would pay later. "But what are the origins of this saying?" he wonders.

CAN any student of old-time Lancashire lingo come up with an answer? Please drop me a line if you can.