Mmm, I wasn't questioning the localisation per-se, but the fact that your use of local (pun unavoidable:-) doesn't localise a global variable - which the docs say it does/should - rather, it purports to declare a global variable, which AFAICT, you can't from within non-global scope.

All that being said, it does rather assume that global is seen as a true global i.e. a package global variable c/w a variable declared to be accessible from the point of declaration down...

There now, you should be as confused as I am ;-)