On Saturday, I bought my first surfboard. I went to Newquay with my amigo and bought a seven foot six mini-mal. It has four blue stripes running from tip to tale a blue star right about where I have to put my face.

It is beautiful.

So this weekend in relatively mild January weather I got to try it. After battling with the beast in white water, I now have a tender knee from my lame attempts to pop up (getting to your feet) and a massive bruise on my thigh from one of the fins. But it was great; I did a couple of good runs in and pushed myself to go for slightly bigger waves than I would normally. I am very determined and will try hard, but I am, what I believe is called in surfing lingo, a great big scaredy cat. Or words to that effect.

Every time I surf,I ‘save’ myself £10 as I don’t have to hire a board. I believe this is the same method used by chic ladies when justifying spending hundreds on a Gucci handbag or Choo shoes, and hey it works for me. It is doubly good as it is an incentive to actually get out and practice in cold weather.