ChrisE, thanks - that was just a piece of nonsense! My next campaign might be to boycott the letter R ...
Grunger,
It's not today's setter's fault that we're having a run, a spate of homophone clues that don't work nationwide .Still, I am resigned to my fate - if a clue works for the majority of solvers, I'll just have to grin and bear it (and have a good moan, either privately or on here!).
PS I hope it's not a disappointment that I've returned so soon? Thanks for your kind wishes!