Something very important is happening on Canvey, where Rainbow Fuels has set up the first biodiesel business in south Essex.

Biodiesel is vital to our futures. It is environmentally friendly, and it can be grown in Essex fields when the oil runs out - or is cut off. It also has the potential to be a major Essex employer.

Biodiesel has everything in its favour, but it faces one enemy - bureaucracy.

Rainbow's fledgling operation has barely begun and already it finds itself tied up in red tape over the disposal of its by-product, glycerol. Yet nobody seems to have a problem about glycerol in Europe, where it is widely used as another form of green fuel The body restricting Rainbow is the Department of Environment Fisheries and Rural affairs.

Defra must protect the environment, but it also has a duty to assist and encourage green industries.

Instead of blindly chanting rules and regulations, Defra officials should help Rainbow to work out a positive solution to the glycerol issue. Bureaucracy must not be allowed to stall this vital new industry.

On the front line

Benfleet student Matt Birch defied dire Foreign Office warnings and travelled into war-torn Iraq to further his studies.

Sadly, the Heathrow fog sank his adventure. He spent just one day in the country.

Matt can console himself with the thought that the chances to study modern conflict situations are far from over.

After all, he does work as a Southend bar manager on Friday and Saturday nights.