I've just got home from the first hearing. I had built it up in my head to be something really critical and somewhat daunting. Well I have to say it was an amazing anticlimax. The hearing was not held in a Rumpole of the Bailey style court room, which my imagination had been conjouring up in my dreams of late. It was in the judges chambers - a kind of headmasters office. No suprise then that during the hearing I was rather concerned that the judge might produce his cane and set about handing out six of the best at any moment.

As I said the whole thing was something of a disappointment. I