Fright of my life

Dear Lorraine,

I love your site and would like to thank you for publishing some of my letters.

Followig the terrible events in London in July, I was bit scared to carry on wearing big hooded parkas with the hood up on public transport.So put my hood down when travelling on the tube.

One day recently I resumed my normal practice of recent years and wore a big black nb3 snorkel parka with the hood fully snorkelled up.The snorkel is six inches long and only gives a view of my eyes if you stand right in front of me.It is big and bulky and reaches almost to my knees.

On this warm sunny day I caught a tube to Wimbledon and a tram to Croydon. On the tube no one took much notice but on the tram I had the fright of my life.

I was sat in the middle of the tram which was about half full.At one stop six or more men dressed in black carrying macine guns leaped on and ordered everyone onto the floor.I got onto the floor and as I did so I was grabbed by two men and my hands yanked behind my back and handcuffed. The hood of my parka was knocked over my eyes so I could see nothing.I was dragged and half carried off the tram and dumped in the street.

Hands undid my parka hood and I was searched very roughly by a woman dressed in black wearing a balaclava over her face."Whats your name?"

"Why are you wearing a bulky coat on a hot day?"

"Where is Said?"

"How many more of you are there?"

I dont know anyone called Said. I was able to show them documents I was taking to a law office in Croyden.

I was dragged into a police van and taken to a police station and put in a cell still handcuffed and wearing my parka.I was questioned for a long time but knew nothing of the people they were looking for.

Half way through being questioned, when I still insisted I only wore a parka with the hood up because I like to and for no sinister reason they became more friendly.

One woman officer carefully did my parka up for me put the hood up and tied the snorkel tight. My hands were still handcuffed behind my back. This I found most ... exciting! This caused much amusement to the policemen and women present.

I was taken back to the cells still hooded and handcuffed.

I was kept there for a day. I think for my pleasure more than to further their investigations.

Pengoch