SOCIAL media in Richmondshire has gone into meltdown this week as an article written by Daily Mail columnist Liz Jones spread like wildfire.

The article seems to be part of a series about her life in the Yorkshire Dales, which presumably started well enough as she has been here a couple of years, but now seems to have taken a sour turn as she appears to hate everything about it.

For starters, she can’t find any tofu. Spectator can’t recall ever looking for the bean-curd popular with vegetarians, but knows a very good health food shop in Richmond that would undoubtedly sell the stuff.

She also hates people shooting rabbits. I suppose it is quite grim, coming across dead animals when out for a walk with the dog, but she’d probably have complained equally if the population were not kept under control.

She also bemoans a lack of Waitrose, not being able to buy her favourite cosmetics, and no broadband or mobile coverage.

The broadband and mobile signal is a fair point. The signal in parts of the upper Dales is terrible, and something North Yorkshire County Council and Rishi Sunak MP are addressing.

Ms Jones also complains of the isolation and loneliness, saying she often goes weeks without speaking to a soul, which although many of social media have pointed out may have something to do with her attitude, is something many people in rural areas suffer.

The rural nature of many Dales communities, together with residents relying on community bus services to get around, means the isolation is a real problem. Befriending schemes and charities do their best to make sure elderly and vulnerable people are looked after, but it is a tough task.