What's The Collective Noun for a Group of Snails?

The most surreal moment so far of this magnificent sporting summer occured midway yesterdays tenth stage of the Tour de France.

Someway between Limoges and Issoudun, with the pelaton fast approaching, a keen-eyed cameraman from the host broadcaster spotted a rout of snails at the roadside


As the race support vehicles approached, one snail broke rank with the others, clearly determined to cross the road


Moments later, the snail had impressively covered 3 or 4 inches. However, he wasn't quite quick enough to cross before the traffic was upon him


At this point the camera cut away to spare our eyes the inevitable, but not before the English commentator had remarked that if the cyclists didn't run the snail over, the cameraman would surely have it - and the others - as a tasty midday snack.

National stereotyping ... and we wonder why the rest of Europe gangs up on us at the Eurovision Song Contest.