Apologies. This is one of those vanity posts where I tell you what a jolly time I had. But hell, it is Christmas. At the What The Papers Say awards lunch today, I found myself sandwiched between two journos called Peter Allen. What are the chances of that?

Allen one is the excellent former ITN Pol Corr who helms drivetime on 5 Live, a top guy who had to nip off half way through to prepare for his show. Allen two is an old chum and the indefatigable Paris correspondent for almost every paper on Fleet Street (see below for the Telegraph).

My City University colleague and Guardian investigative ace David Leigh picked up the Judges award, with his colleague Rob Evans, for their work on the BAe Systems investigation.

And now…Christmas. And lighter posting, at least till 2008. See you there.