WORLD BOOK DAY

Today, 03 March 2011, is World Book Day. Eight years ago, I was sitting in a ward in Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, waiting for a bed to become vacant.

The 7-hour operation the next day on my lower spine saved my life as the excruciating sciatic pain was becoming unbearable and draining me of all energy. A cocktail of drugs to numb the pain had no effect whatsoever other than send me to outer space.

What I remember most about the op was the theatre nurse whamming a catheter into my dubree just before play started. Waoh, it did hurt and when I came around, I had one hell of a back ache. When I returned to the ward the next day - I spent the first night in intensive care - my beautiufl new pyjamas and unopened bottle of Ribena had gone walkabout and been exchanged for an old pair of oversized white cotton pants - hardly Noel's Swap Shop? Alas, I never examined them, for fear odf finding something nasty inside, and preferred to send them to the sluice room!

Two days later when I sat up and got out of bed, I was able to walk upright and on my heels again - an absolute miracle, after 38 years of a stooped gait, due to a severe head injury suffered as a child.

Anyway, back to World Book Day. As a writer and journalist, I love reading as it gives me ideas for future work. But by far the best book in the world, and the one that is alive and can speak to us all, is the Holy Bible.

If you've never read it, look at St John's Gospel in the New Testament - it's just brilliant and you'll also kick yourself that you'd never read it before!