Beslan, where the Russian authorities stopped live coverage of the school being stormed, was an illustration of the progress we still have to make.

It wasn't glamorous in my day. In the regions, reporters were seen as such low life that they didn't merit their name in the Radio Times. Now people are interested in being famous. I never gave it a thought.

Now children as young as nine carry AK47s which can kill 30 people in seconds.

I've never been one to sit around and eat my heart out. Life's too short.

I have nothing to do with the selection of stories. I'm the reporter.

I sailed through my childhood with a complete lack of any drama.

It's totally mistaken to suppose that an armed escort is going to give a journalist any protection - on the contrary, journalists who turn up surrounded by armed personnel are just turning themselves into targets and in even worse danger.