Each year we run an Activity Day featuring a variety of different trips for the pupils. One of which is Alton Towers and this is where I was sent this time around. It's great because it's something that the kids really enjoy, though to be honest it's my idea of hell: lots of screaming, obtrusive music being played everywhere, fast food and far too many people. Bah Humbug. It's a far cry from being buried in the sand on a quiet Scottish beach as I was the same time last week. I know which I prefer.

Thankfully it was a nice group of staff that went so it was all very pleasant from that point of view. We didn't have much chance to go on any rides ourselves as we had to be on duty, as it were, at specific times at certain points so that the pupils could find us if they had any problems. We helped reunite some year sevens who had lost one member of their group. They were all in tears as though their friend had gone MIA in Vietnam. You couldn't help but feel sorry for them, I find Alton Towers a stressful enough place so heaven knows what it's like for a twelve year old who has lost all her mates.

Good deed for the day done I escaped to the gardens for a bit and stumbled across some lads - not from our school I hasten to add - smoking something that didn't smell quite like ordinary cigarettes. I was tempted to ask for a quick drag myself.

At the end of the day we had some pupils late back to the meeting point, which really hacked everyone off, both pupils and staff, especially as it was bucketing down with rain by that time. As I said it's my idea of hell, but at least it was nice to see all these smiling faces on the bus on the way home.