Camelot is soft soaping public

Camelot has taken decisive action to stem falling sales of its Instants scratchcards. And as sales have dropped from 871m to 419m in the six months to September, dramatic action is obviously needed.

Coronation Street’s favourite newsagent Mavis Wilton (née Riley) was heard encouraging a hesitant scratchcard player by saying that some people won lots of money. In fact, one person, according to Mavis, won 150. Close observers will notice that Cadbury, a member of the Camelot consortium, is also the 10m broadcast sponsor of ITV’s favourite soap opera.