A cheeky reader managed to get one over on the Newcastle Evening Chronicle with an entry into the paper’s daily poetry section.

The feature has been a big hit with readers, but the paper was caught out when one decided to send in a ‘hit’ of their own.

Under the name ‘P Simm, of Grange Park,’ they sent in an ode called A Little Cloud which began “On the side of a hill…” which rang a bell with an eagle-eyed reader, who wrote in to complain.

He revealed that the ‘poem’ is actually a song written by Paul Simon – not P Simm – and was featured on the 1966 album The Paul Simon Songbook.

The reader wrote: “P Simm of Grange Park is either a very sad person or is having a laugh at the Chronicle.

“Word for word, you’ll find the song on there, but under a different title I think. Sorry for the moan but I can’t let P Simm get away with this.”

After a quick check, it was revealed the ‘poem’ was in fact, word for word, the lyrics of the anti-war song On Side of a Hill, which was later modified and released as the hit song Scarborough Fair.

Assistant editor Mick Smith said: “Hands up, we were fooled. We do read all the poems sent in and take them in good faith.

“This one unfortunately slipped the net. They’re all Art Garfunkel fans in the readers’ poems department.”

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