It's not every day you get to speak to a national treasure but I was fortunate enough to enjoy a brief phone conversation with the author of Writing Home the other day.

I had just introduced myself when disaster struck ‹ a pile of reporter's notebooks on my desk tottered over onto my phone, there was a sickening click, and I was no longer talking to Alan. It was just me and the dialling tone.

I quickly phoned back and explained to Mr Bennett what had occurred and he very kindly said it was the sort of thing that happened to him.

I'm afraid I can't explain the reason for our conversation just yet but all will become clear in the next few days.

Before the nerve-jangling Alan Bennett episode, I was sent on an undercover mission to Yarnton Nurseries, an unassuming garden centre on the A44 near Kidlington.

Tucked away near the plant pots is an antiques centre containing several bookcases packed with old tomes.

I had a vague recollection the little library was there from a previous trip, but I haven't been there for years.

There were lots of books on motorsports and steam trains and one or two other interesting finds, including the mouth-watering Fisherman's Pie, edited by WA Hunter and published by A&C Black in 1929. The book contained interesting black and white illustrations by SJ Lamorna Birch but I couldn't stomach the £20 price.

In fact quite a few of the books were sporting pre-credit crunch prices. Boswell's London Journal 1762/1763 published by Heinemann in 1950 cost £12. Some of his night-time daillances with young ladies were colourfully described and I shall perhaps seek out a cheaper copy.

Finally, a collection of HG Wells stories, including The First Men in the Moon, caught my eye. The book was published by Odhams but featured no publication date and cost £8.

Next time I drive along the A44 I will be sorely tempted to return to the secret library.