I survived a riot (and lived to tell the tale...)

At the moment Britain is at point with rioting and looting, but this is not going to be a political style expression, just more of a tale...

In 2000 I had just moved out of my family home for a life of independence and into a new flat, what pride I was feeling at having branched out into the world at at last. This was about to all change...

1st of August was the moving in date and as I contemplated my new life ahead, it was lollipops and sunshine. Events were to take a new twist though, because of the lack of accommodation for my needs I had to move into a council estate, not the wisest move but it was mine at last. Though this was all to be shattered, at that time in the air was the anger about Sarah Payne's killing and also the News of the World's naming and shaming campaign. I had moved into Paulsgrove, Hampshire...

During that period people had been protesting about paedophiles living in their community, but this was to take a new twist during the night... An uneasy feeling much like what is going on at the moment had been permeating the air as more people got angry about this apparent lack of respect for citizens in the area. As more people gather at the main shopping area, it got too much and then it happened... The tinderbox had been set alight...

"Boy! See me after class for extra spelling lessons!"

Grievances were held against anyone who didn't agree with the mob or thought they were off-kilter with this mood.

I was not part of it myself, I was asleep at that time... I know you're wondering how can you sleep through a riot? But I did, it was the next morning turning onto BBC Breakfast and bleary-eyed just thinking 'I know that place... That's just down the road!' But when I had seen the damage I knew the scale of the situation and wondered if I had made the right choice after all in moving there...

For eleven years, when I have mentioned Paulsgrove to people in passing, they have thought I must be a thug or someone what... Myself, all I love is good television theme tune and pop culture... If that makes me less of a person to do that then so be it, I will be relaxed in my chair enjoy that... If two wrongs make a right, then a lot of people are going to look at themselves before jumping on any passing bandwagon which is going past because no matter how leafy your area is... You'll be defending yourself for years to come from the paranoia which goes with this type of event...