My journalistic career began as a graduate trainee on the Coventry Evening Telegraph where I cut my teeth covering the divisive miners’ strike in the North Warwickshire coalfield.

Fleet Street beckoned with three fabulous years at the Press Association, the national news agency of the UK and Ireland, where I secured the first exclusive interview with the captain of the doomed ‘Herald of Free Enterprise’ Zeebrugge ferry after it capsized with the loss of 193 lives.

After travelling 10,000 miles shadowing SDP-Alliance leader Dr David Owen during the 1987 General Election, I was promoted to Education Correspondent, before being poached by the Daily Mail to cover that highly political beat for five years, including a major scoop about Tony Blair’s personal schools policy.

Moving to motoring editor at the Mail, my early news focus was on the political and industrial wranglings around the BMW-Rover saga and subsequent Rover ‘Phoenix Four’ scandal. I also helped spearhead successful Mail campaigns including: to combat ‘rip-off’ car prices, spiralling pump prices, and crippling fuel taxes; to make hidden speed cameras visible by painting them yellow; to take on rogue parking firms; and to change the law to outlaw ‘cowboy clampers’.

My 15-year stint as transport editor added aviation, marine and rail to my portfolio and involved a string of tragic and harrowing air and rail disasters as well as dealing with industry and airline CEOs including Virgin’s Sir Richard Branson.

My motoring brief has involved travelling the world to cover new models, new technology, and new trends affecting millions of motorists.