THREE cheers for the hapless single Bridget Jones, of the hot new movie fame, for bringing big knickers to the forefront of fashion.

She catches her man wearing flesh-coloured control pants, not a little black sexy number.

They may not do a lot for the men in their lives, but I can state without fear of contradiction that women are much more comfy in waist high cottons than having a thong stuck between the cheeks or squeezing into skimpy little sheers.

They don't leave VPLs -- visible panty lines -- and pull in spare flesh in the hip and tum department.

And if today's women follow the trend for comfort rather than sex appeal no one will be more delighted than the ailing M and S who have provided me with lasting satisfaction in the panty line nearly all my life.

That's except for the past couple of years when lovely big white knicks, at 20 per cent of the price they are here, have been carried back from Turkey markets as gifts from mother.

And she couldn't have brought anything better.