IT’S the kind of news that has shoe-makers despairing and millions of women rejoicing: trainers are taking over from heels.

More women than ever are now buying trainers as they demand comfortable footwear instead of cripplingly painful heels. Oh yes, I know that many outfits look far better when teamed with even a low-heeled shoe but it’s just so reassuring that, instead of tight, uncomfortable high shoes, we can all now drag out our favourite trainers and it’s quite acceptable. Now if they just made discretely built-up trainers to restore us to a reasonable height, the joy would be unending.