LADIES and gentlemen. I’d like to report a very rare sighting.

This is something I have seen little of publicly in the past 11 months.

At times I wondered if it was going the way of the Dodo, white Christmases and jumpers for goalposts as things you just don’t see any more.

What am I talking about?

I’m talking about … Glaswegians in the city grinning from ear to ear.

Yes, to borrow an old city slogan, Glasgow’s miles better – Glasgow smiles better! – in February than it was in January or any of the nine months prior.

And there’s one reason and one reason only for this – vaccination!

Yes, I’ve been delighted to be able to pick up a number of passengers upon them leaving the Louisa Jordan facility after receiving their first dose of the vaccine.

I can’t remember seeing smiles like these, some of the people look like they’ve just won the lottery.

After months and months and months of seemingly relentless negative news, this has been just the tonic.

Clearly a large chunk of these people so far are the elderly population and in some ways that only adds to the magic of those winning smiles.

These are people’s grannies, grandas, aunts and uncles. These are your family, your neighbours, your friends. These are the first phasers of a slow return to post-lockdown life, or eased restrictions at least.

You forget how contagious smiling is. I’ve driven these great people safely home looking like a Cheshire Cat myself!

It’s been a privilege that they’ve chosen our separated, sanitised and safe taxis to transport them after what has been, let’s face it, an historic moment in their lives.

It might yet be a long road back to “normal” but this last week or two has felt like a significant step and I’ll personally never forget the looks on the famous of so many of these wonderful Glaswegians.

Here’s to smiling into the spring together – Glasgow is miles and smiles better after all.

Stay safe!