Sorry if I misspelled it. Heard on the BBC this morning that the immigrants requesting political asylum had escaped with the help of demonstrators sympathetic to their cause. Any word from our antipodean friends?

We're having quite a bit of trouble here in France in Sangatte with the immigrants in a camp waiting to get into the UK and the escapes and attempts to run through the Chunnel to get there.
What's going on over there?

You heard right, Heather. A group of 35 escaped from the detention centre at Woomera, South Australia on Thursday night (Oz time). They had assistance from a group of protesters supplying them with cutting tools and blankets.

Police have helicopters and planes searching a large area of the centre of the country- from Woomera to Coober Pedy is over 200kms of near-desert terrain. At this time of year, temperatures can drop to near-freezing point- I am glad it is not me out there!

I am not going to enter into any arguments about the rights or wrongs of the detention system- it is very complex, and very politically charged here at the moment.

A tourist advertisement- Coober Pedy is quite a unique place- most of the residents live underground to escape the summer heat. The chief industry is opal mining.