The washing machine has gone from domestic saviour to unmentionable in one easy hop.

Yesterday I put a load on. Tonight I take it out. As you do, I spin the drum to see if anything is stuck… and dun-dun-DAHH!

The drum scrapes. Not a good sign.

When I’m sorting the washing five minutes later, I find Exhibit 1:

Now, had this been an older sock, it would not have been so unusual a sight. Many of my older socks are tatty around the tops as the elastic fails. But this was a prime, luxury, comfortable, pure merino wool M&S sock. It has met with an untimely end. It has been savaged by washing machine, and we will not be resting until the culprit is brought to justice.

Not least because we don’t dare wash anything else.