It's not many days that you can say: I nearly got burned alive today!

My colleague Nick and I were planning to head down to Newport for the day in a company van with a Compaq server in the back. The van didn't look cared for but I thought - I have to trust the fleet department to maintain their vehicles properly. First stop was the garage where I filled up with diesel. After paying I went back to the van where my colleague was in the back seat chatting on his mobile. He looked up from his conversation to say "I think there's a problem mate." Yes there was - the forecourt was flooding with litres of fuel pouring rapidly from the bottom of the van. Pausing only to admire Nick's cool, I ran back to warn the forecourt staff who rapidly got everyone to switch off engines and mobiles while they spread sand over the spill. Dangerous situation. I'm just thankful it was diesel not petrol.

But I swear I am never using a company pool car again.