and residents at Manchester's Sale Moor Community Partnership about crime levels (falling, hurrah!), and to children from Lyme Tree primary school about football. And there came a rare ray of sunshine. "We shook hands and spoke man to man, like normal. He seemed a smashing bloke," said Graham Jervis, a local resident. "There used to be a lot of trouble round here. There's been a lot more money put in, they have regenerated. Everything is better now."

On to Hyde Park in London for the former African president's 90th birthday concert at about 8pm, neatly missing the mayor of London, Boris Johnson, by about 15 minutes. In an open-neck blue shirt and navy blue blazer, Brown looked almost, for a moment, relaxed. He shook hands, smiled and chatted toassorted VIPs' expensively dressed children.

He stood up and clapped along to Johnny Clegg . He even essayed a bit of a gentle hip swing for Eddie Grant's heartlifting Gimme Hope Jo'anna. And, led by master of ceremonies Will Smith, he belted out Happy Birthday with the best of them. Later, Mandela joined a plainly delighted PM in a small covered section of the stand, where both gave every appearance of listening intently to Amy Winehouse.

Earlier, the PM had said of what was probably a more joyful anniversary than his own: "We're particularly honoured that he'll be celebrating his birthday here in London." If a week's a long time in politics, how long's a year?