World Bank boss Robert Zoellick called a press conference this morning.
The gathering of financial journalists from around the world was astonished to hear him announce that the global recession happened because of a simple mistake.
He went on to say that his wife had sent one of his jackets to the dry cleaners and luckily had checked the pockets. In the inside breast pocket was a cheque for US $25 trillion and change.
"I did not realise that I had not paid the cheque in to the bank" says Zoellick "I was so embarrassed"!
Zoellick went on to explain that he had not worn the jacket for a few months.
"I don't know how I missed a hole in the accounts as big as that" Zoellick explained, but I have now paid the cheque in and the global recession is over. So all's well that ends well"!
Financial Times editor Harrison Cashflow commented "Phew, I'm glad that's over! Isn't Mr Zoellick a silly Billy"!
In a historical aside, former US Treasury Secretary Duane Knackwurst admitted that he had caused the Eighties financial slump by losing money down the back of his mother's sofa.
