NOT one of my friends was included in the annual publication of the 1,000 wealthiest people in Britain and Ireland, which didn't surprise me one jot as my associates, and extended family for that matter, are from far more humble backgrounds and income.

However, I do know the odd one or two who have done very well for themselves. Some by making use of the qualities God has given them. Others by seeing an opportunity and going for it, irrespective of whether a corner had to be cut en route, as it were. Good luck to them I say.

However, they are mere financial pimples on the metaphorical face of the planet compared to the super-rich who can trouser a mind-numbing £360bn between them. That's £360,000,000,000 for those who prefer their financial figures extended. Try getting your tongue, let alone your head, around that lot.

Top of the list, at £19.25bn (£19,250,000,000) is Indian-born steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal, who has seen his fortune grow by more than £4bn since last year. He is a long way in front of Roman Abramovich, Russian owner of Chelsea Football Club, whose £10.8bn fortune wasn't seriously damaged by his recent divorce, which saw his wife jump to 452nd place in the rich list with a fortune estimated at £155m.

Incidentally, any home-grown beauties hoping to attract the attention of Mr Abramovich must have an ability to speak fluent Russian, possess the thighs of an athlete and an ability to trap a ball punted the length of a football field.

Many of the 68 billionaires in Britain are foreigners, with only three British-born figuring in the top 10. Britain's super-rich saw their income increase by a whopping 20 per cent in 2006, well in excess of Europe's 15 per cent.

Apparently, a growing number of the world's wealthiest people are being attracted to the UK by the generous tax regime, which must be news to the zillions of ordinary Jack and Jills who fight a regular battle with Her Britannic Majesty's Inland Revenue, just to hang on to a reasonable percentage of their hard-earned. Of course, the super-rich are protected by armies of accountants and financial advisers in their dealings with the tax man, but the present government's fiscal policy has to be playing an important role.

I said at the beginning of this rant that I had no immediate friends or family among Britain's richest 1,000. That isn't absolutely true. I don't know Meena and Kirit Patak personally, but their excellent curry products are a regular entry on my supermarket shopping lists and I have contributed a significant amount to the couple's estimated £205m.

Mind you, from what I can recall, the Pataks, based in Leigh, built their empire from virtually nothing, sensing that the taste buds of indigenous Brits would switch from traditional fare to the spicy, exotic fare from The East. They got that right, 200 million times, and counting.

The most surprising name on the list is Kate Moss, who somehow survived a ferocious image-battering. She has £45m. I knew top models were well paid but that's hugely impressive. Pity I never had the legs for it.