When I tied myself to the steering wheel of the car it was not intended as an act of protest against the 200 per cent rise in university tuition fees.

It was accidental. This is what happened. I was wearing my handbag across my body and my long and trendy scarf was wound three times round my neck. It was a cold day.

My husband climbed into the passenger seat and I slipped into the driver’s seat and attempted to take off my bag but my scarf prevented me pulling it over my head and the handle dropped over the steering wheel. When I tried to untangle myself, my scarf also looped itself over the steering wheel and I was pinned to the console, unable to move.

“Help me,” I gasped.

As soon as he was able to stop laughing, my husband unravelled me.