BATH is a city of extremes for every plush des-res there are digs a student would turn their nose up at; for every luxury car is a motor that would look better on a scrapheap than Bath's hallowed streets.

Bath boasts a huge range of salaries with a wide variety of shops to match.

To that end, the Bath Star runs Cheapest & Dearest, a light-hearted look at how much, or little, you can spend on one type of item in Bath's shops.

This week: Pens

Cheapest: Bic Cristal. 25p. Available from WH Smith and all good stationers.

For scribbling down shopping lists on the back of used envelopes or for chewing whilst you tackle The Times crossword, the trusty Bic is the writing implement of choice for millions throughout the world.

Why spend hundreds of pounds on expensive entertainment gear when, for 25p, you can occupy yourself playing endless games of hangman or noughts and crosses?

Dearest: Mont Blanc Le Grand fountain pen. £545. Available from E P Mallory & Son Ltd. 1 - 4 Bridge Street, Bath

This pen is certainly for those who appreciate the finer things in life. It is made from hematite steel and has an 18ct gold nib, inlaid with platinum.

This is surely the pen of choice for the area's filthy rich.

Each pen comes with its own individual serial number and the exclusive Mont Blanc logo perfect for impressing fellow passengers on the 125 to London.