IT was the straw that broke this camel’s back. “Fancy going out for a drink this Friday?”, I texted to a mate I’ll call ‘Steve’

As usual there was no response. Steve was one of those ‘friends’ who only contacted you when he wanted something.

If I wanted to see Steve, I’d always be the one sending the texts or making the calls – often to no reply. Steve is what you’d call a ‘bad friend’.

But last week I’d had enough of Steve. It was one unanswered invite too many. I vowed never to contact him again and deleted his number from my phone.

I’m not unique in having a bad friend. It seems almost everyone else in my social circle has one too.

And if Steve is the worst of my pals I should count myself lucky.

That Friday another friend we’ll name ‘Andrea’ came round. She was on her way to see a Siberian girl I can’t stand called ‘Svetlana’.

Svetlana is a terrible friend. She’s as cold as the icy wastes whence she came. She’s has next to no sense of humour and is intensely selfish.

If Svetlana sees a bloke she fancies on a night out, she gets stroppy and jealous if Andrea speaks to him – even if said bloke has no interest in the Russian.

Andrea regularly complains about Svetlana’s behaviour but insists on seeing her. I’ve told Andrea to ditch her several times but she doesn’t listen. On Friday, Andrea is all dressed up, but soon she’ll have nowhere to go.