All readers' calls to the editor must be answered

One of the most important roles of an editor is to answer all readers' calls. Sometime stories result; sometimes complaints. At other times they are cries for help and assistance. And occasionally simple, but heartfelt queries. We are, after all, their Birmingham Mail and readers feel, rightly, that they are entitled to a service.

At 7am this morning the answer phone was flashing with six messages from the weekend and so, with a deep breath, I diligently set about the business of returning them all.

1. A relative of a women who had died in an alleged murder: could we call to get the family's side of the story and a fresh picture? Passed to the reporter on the story.

2. A reader whose phone number had inadvertently been used in a classified advert due to a keying error, leading to unwanted calls. Sincere apologies and a few calls to find the right person to deal with this properly in another department, (once sorted, the paper will be sending this member of the public a bunch of flowers).

3. A gent who wanted to know why the time in Canada appeared to have changed. A check on 'tine zones' via Google revealed Canada put the clocks forward in the second week of March. When I called (at 8.30am) he took ten minutes to put his teeth in, find his glasses and get downstairs to speak. When I told him he informed me that he'd found out for himself. Nevertheless, he thanked the Mail for their trouble!

4 and 5. Both potential stories, passed to reporters to chase.

6. Worth waiting for... read onto the next blog to find out about this one!