WHO would have thought there could be skulduggery in the scullery over pies? Not me. I ve always been open about scoffing a yummy steak and kidney pie when I fancy one. But that is not the case with everyone, I learn this week. According to a new survey a

WHO would have thought there could be skulduggery in the scullery over pies? Not me. I've always been open about scoffing a yummy steak and kidney pie when I fancy one.

But that is not the case with everyone, I learn this week.

According to a new survey about our pie eating habits, we Brits are a nation of secret eaters.

It is difficult to imagine but apparently 67 per cent of men claim to have gone to extraordinary lengths to hide pies and their wrappers from their other half.

It is men aged between 30 and 54 who are the worst offenders with more than half of those questioned admitting to eating the last slice of pie and denying it.

It is not all one-way traffic on the deception front, however.

Just over half of the men surveyed claimed their wife makes the best pie in the world - but 66 per cent of women admitted to having passed off a shop bought pie as their own.

I can't say I fancy the idea much, but 20 per cent of Brits say they have had pies for breakfast. But I can admit to being among the 18 per cent who have had them as midnight snacks.

For those who like to get their teeth into a subject, the history of the humble pie makes interesting reading.

The first known pie recipe is from Roman times. This detailed how to make a rye-crusted goat cheese and honey pie. That sounds a revolting combination to me but it must have appealed to enough people to help establish the concept of pies.

It was not until the 12th century when pies first appeared in England and by then they were my kind of fare - predominantly meat-filled.

The crust of the pie was referred to then as the coffyn and that term still persists in the modern spelling of the word.

Often, early pies were made using fowl and the legs were left hanging over the side of the dish to be used as handles. Health and safety officials would have a field day with that these days.

Also encrusted in history is the fact that spoilsport Oliver Cromwell banned the eating of pies in 1644, branding them a pagan form of pleasure.

So pie eaters had to go underground - a bit like some of them do these days - until Restoration leaders lifted the ban in 1660.

One thing which has not particularly interested me since my teenage years has been cars.

All I really want is something which is reliable and can take me from A to B. Other than that, I am not interested.

But I could not help take note of a poll to find the daftest named vehicles in the world.

The top seven are all Japanese, strangely enough. In descending order they are: Isuzu Big Horn, Daihatsu Naked, Suzuki Every Joy Pop Turbo, Honda Life Dunk, Isuzu GIGA 20 Light Dump, Isuzu Mysterious Utility Wizard....and in top spot is Yamaha Pantyboy Supreme.

There's nothing I can say to top that.