HUMAN rights campaigner James Mawdsley lived in solitary confinement with rats, was regularly beaten and given only rice and fish paste to eat during his 400-day incarceration in Burma. He believed he would have to live like this for his full 17-year sentence, yet remained sane, strong and determined. Backed by a loving and supportive family, he stuck it out in order to expose, and hopefully change, the corrupt regime in Burma.

Now back in County Durham, he says: "I have to get myself back together again.'' His mother, Diana, who accompanied him home, added: "He will have a struggle in the next few days, but we don't need professional counselling.''

What an inspiration. Perhaps the next policeman, teacher or secretary who complains their job is so stressful they need counselling, hundreds of thousands of pounds in compensation and an early retirement package, should take note.

AFTER the Richard Neale case, when the bungling North Yorkshire gynaecologist continued to treat patients privately long after he was barred from NHS hospitals, we were told the public would be better protected in future. Now it is revealed Harrogate psychologist Timothy Naylor, struck off after having sex with a deeply disturbed patient, is free to practise privately. The British Psychological Society says it is pressing the Government to introduce statutory registration within three years. But in the meantime, how many more vulnerable patients may be exposed to charlatans like Naylor, who used hypnosis to treat the woman at his home in York? Many private patients assume they are buying better treatment when, too often, what they may be paying for is an inferior service from an NHS reject.

BRITAIN'S controversial new childcare guru, Gina Ford, believes in discipline and routine. Young babies are "controllable" and should feed and sleep to a strict timetable. "Go with the flow mothering doesn't work," she says. It doesn't surprise me that this baby expert has never had children herself. In my experience, the only people who know all the answers are those who have never had to get up to a screeching baby five times through the night.

ANTHEA Turner now claims she was beaten by ex-boyfriend Bruno Brookes. She didn't mention it in her recent autobiography. Perhaps there wasn't room, what with the vital information she had to fit in about when and where she had sex with her married lover. Anthea and her new husband hurt many people, including three small children. But, far from trying to heal these painful wounds in private, she chose to expose all, plundering the lives of everyone around her, to make money. Critics say she is now portraying herself as a victim to gain sympathy. There was a time when Turner could have offered a glimmer of hope to millions of victims of domestic violence. Sadly, her heartless, money-grabbing manner now only makes us question her motives.

I TOOK the boys to see the new Disney Dinosaur film this week. We saw a huge meteorite crash to earth and demolish an island. We watched life-like dinosaurs stride across the screen, trampling everything underfoot and hungrily devouring bloody prey. The special effects were amazing. But the boys took it in their stride. It's what they've come to expect. So I can't help wondering what they will make of the Flowerpot Men, my favourite childhood programme, soon to be shown again on BBC. Has it not occurred to the TV executives that perhaps we were only happy to watch gentle tales about life in the potting shed because there was nothing else on?

SURELY that wasn't the same Tony Blair who claims he fiercely guards his family's privacy and would never use his children for political gain talking last week about little Euan's interest in green issues in a speech on the environment?